Accidental Companions
by Windschild8178
Summary: Guruko, 1 of Kakashi's dogs, ends up staying with Naruto because of an injury. However, along the way he discovers it's Naruto who really needs the help. But what can a dog do? Keywords: Neglect.Rape.SlightEatingDisorder.Cutting.Hurt.Friendship.Dark.
1. To speak or not to speak

Disclaimer: I… do… not… own… Naruto. Simple as that.

This story is a special present I've been working on for a while for all of my 'A Prisoner's Silence' fans.

WARNING: Rape will be in this story however I am not a disgusting pervert and thus will have only the barest of details that will only be there for the storyline to take place. No bodily descriptions of private parts or in depth lines on sex. One more thing. I'm NOT describing male on male. The rapist is a female for my sanities sake; males are more violent, females more manipulative. Its very rare but works well with the way I've done the story. I intensely dislike fanfics that include rape just for the sake of describing body parts and sex. This is from a far more of a psychological stand point. Other warnings include abuse and cutting.

THIS STORY WILL ALMOST ALWAYS BE IN THE POINT OF VIEW OF KAKASHI'S DOG… THERE WILL BE FEW MOMENTS THAT KAKASHI, NARUTO OR SOMEONE ELSE'S VIEWS ARE SEEN!!!!!

'_Guruko thinking'_

"_Guruko talking"_

Guruko, one of Kakashi's dogs, is stuck staying with Naruto whose forced to take care of the injured dog. The dog soon finds out its Naruto that needs help, but what can a dog do?

Chapter 1: To speak or not to speak

"_I'm not talking to him." _

"It would make things a lot easier if you would."

"_That imbecile of a student will drive me insane if I do."_

"Naruto isn't nearly as bad as you think Guruko."

Kakashi, along with his eight dogs, made their way along the roads of Konoha to the bridge that he and his team meet at everyday. At the moment, Kakashi was in a tight spot with three of his dogs, Pakkun, Uhei and Guruko, out of commission due to injuries with a month long mission ahead. There in lies Kakashi's brilliant plan: If he couldn't take care of three of his precious dogs while he was gone then why not have his three precious students do it for him? Pakkun rode atop Bull, his little body burned a bit from a fire jutsu Kakashi didn't expect from the 'water' wielding missing nin. Uhei, his only female dog winced every few steps, her injury being nothing more than an ear infection but enough that she could not go on the mission and needed someone to take her to her check ups. Then there was…

"_Why do _I _have to go with the idiot? Can't one of the others go?" _Guruko whined pitifully from within Kakashi's arms. The dog had broken his back leg when he'd miscalculated the strength of a tree limb while they'd been on the trail of the said 'water' missing nin. Kakashi took a deep breath and then a smaller one just to be sure. "Because Sakura is not strong enough to carry you to your vet appointments or anywhere for that matter. Uhei is the only one with no way to communicate in the human language so she will go with Sasuke because Sasuke is not absent minded enough to forget something. Despite his size, Naruto can easily carry you and you will be able to remind him when he's forgotten something." Kakashi explained for the third time that morning.

"_I'm not talking to him," _Guruko repeated, _"If he knows I can talk he will drive me insane with useless babbling." _Kakashi sighed. "Then I guess if he forgets to feed you, you will starve," Kakashi said bluntly. Guruko huffed and buried his head deep into Kakashi's chest for warmth; it was November after all and even the fire nation got quite cold from November to January. "Besides," Kakashi added with an eye smile, "Naruto talks to _everyone_ whether they can hear or understand him any way. You have to remember that Naruto's been alone all his life. I often find him talking to himself while he trains just to fill the air with noise. I think it's just his way of trying not to feel too lonely…" Kakashi said the last part quietly and assumed Guruko got the point when the dog felt no more need to complain.

When Kakashi arrived at the bridge it was to find, to his vast amusement, Sakura atop the rail trying to engage an irritated Sasuke in conversation while he stared down at the river below and a fast asleep Naruto with chin to his chest and his back to the pole. It was to be expected on a Monday. Naruto did God knew what on the weekend's and always slept while waiting for the lazy Jounin to arrive. The rest of the week Naruto would be wide awake, but Mondays were, as the boy put it, "Death warmed up just for me." Always the optimist of the group, team 7 was caught off guard by the solemn phrase one early Monday morning when they'd first become a team. So caught off guard were they that Sakura cracked up laughing, Sasuke nearly tripped and Kakashi stopped walking to stare at the miserable blonde. Needless to say they never once questioned why Naruto immediately fell asleep every Monday, they just went with it, everyone deserved at least some time to be in a dark mood after all.

"Good morning team," Kakashi called out cheerily. Sasuke peered over at him with a thankful expression as Sakura's attention was pulled away from the Uchiha. Sakura blinked several times and checked her watch. "Your only ten minutes late," She said surprised. The dogs yipped happily and skipped over to the pair. Sakura immediately bent down to scratch behind Shiba's big ears. Sasuke cocked an eyebrow at the dogs, hand unconsciously scratching Urushi on the head. "What's up? Why'd you summon your dogs Kakashi?" Sasuke asked. Kakashi eye smiled.

Sasuke always called him by name while Sakura merely called him 'Sensei' and Naruto called him 'Kaka-sensei.' It displayed their personalities perfectly. Sasuke with his hint of arrogance even while addressing a superior yet the clear respect he held for the Jounin that Kakashi could detect through the boy's tone. Sakura's formal show of respect underlying the fact that she called all other Jounin senseis as 'Gai-sensei' or 'Kurenai-sensei,' indicated that HE was her team leader and therefore the one she most respected. And then there was Naruto- The slightly shortened disrespectful nickname 'Kaka' combined with sensei was perhaps the name he was most fond of. He had noticed that Naruto only gave disrespectful 'titles' to those he was closest too. Iruka being the exception to the rule because Naruto would never disrespect his father figure in such a way; it simply wasn't done. Due to the nature of his birth and the consequences afterward Naruto had been forced to learn everything about normal behavior on his own and thus had come up with several wrong conclusions. It took Kakashi a full year of working with Naruto to correct some of those habits and yet he still found some of the things the blonde did completely bewildering.

Bull lumbered over to the still dozing Naruto and licked the boy's face to awaken him. Naruto cracked his eyes open tiredly and yawned loudly, arms outstretched above his head. Naruto patted Bull's head dazedly before peering around and catching sight of the other seven dogs and his team. "Yo sleeping beauty," Pakkun called with a raised paw from the back of Bull's head. Naruto smiled crookedly at the small dog. "Mornin' to you too," Naruto said with a bit of a laugh as he got to his feet slowly. Kakashi nodded toward Naruto, "Now that we're all awake I tell you why I brought them along today. Its because you three will be watching over three of my dogs while I'm gone on a mission," Kakashi chirped happily. All of his students greatly enjoyed it when he summoned his dogs to aide in a mission after all.

The statement enlisted a variety of reactions. Sakura stopped scratching and looked up. "For how long," she asked happily. Sasuke sighed in a bored-like manner but couldn't completely hide a small smile. Naruto surprised him by biting his lip and tilting his head forwards a bit, allowing the shadows and his bangs to hide the sight of his eyes. An action Naruto did only when he was displeased or upset about something and didn't want anyone knowing. "My mission should last from about four to five weeks, so about a month. I have scrolls of instructions for each of you and money for dog food and supplies. All of them should be healed in a couple weeks so they can even assist you on missions after that if they feel up to it." Kakashi said as he pulled out three scrolls. Naruto bit down on his lip hard enough to draw blood, but with a small flourish of his arms as he brought them to rest on the back of his neck the trail of blood was gone. '_What was that?' _Kakashi wondered.

"Sakura you will be taking care of Pakkun," Kakashi said as he handed the scroll to her. She frowned a bit, remembering the comment from the small dog about how they used the same shampoo, and sighed. The weeks ahead were going to be very long indeed. "Sasuke you will be taking care of Uhei," Kakashi said as the bandaged dog ambled over to him. Sasuke nodded, but felt a little annoyed that he'd somehow managed to get the _only _female dog in the entire pack. Kakashi turned to Naruto who smiled at him broadly, eyes narrowed far enough that Kakashi couldn't see them, and hands in pockets. "I want you to take Guruko here," Kakashi said, nodding toward the disgruntled dog. "Hey Kaka-sensei, I don't remember, can he talk?" Naruto asked still with his too big grin. Guruko gave Kakashi a warning growl from within his arms and Kakashi inwardly sighed in exasperation. "No, so you won't be able to talk to him while he's with you," Kakashi said. The other dogs gave Guruko an irritated stare but the injured dog ignored them.

Kakashi felt himself staring at Naruto in question when the small blondes entire body language suddenly dropped all of its bounded up tension. It was a small change but enough for the Jounin to notice as well as the dogs around them. "Oh really? That's too bad… It would have been way more fun if he could talk back," Naruto said with a laugh as he took the dog and scroll from Kakashi's arms. Kakashi stood back and glanced at all three of his students with a bit of pride. They would be fine without him and would all take good care of his dogs, there was no doubt about that, even if Guruko was being a brat. "Tsunade will limit you to D and C rank mission near the village while I'm gone and you will be paid out of my own pocket for the amount of two C ranks for taking care of my dogs, one C for every two weeks. If I'm gone a fifth week… lets just call say that you love me enough to do that for free." The copy nin and his five remaining dogs disappeared in a cloud of smoke. "Typical," Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto muttered under their breaths before saying goodbye to each other and heading home.

Three months ago the Chuunin exams ended in a small war with Sound and Sand. Tsunade had been in office for a month and a half now as the Godaime Hokage and two days ago Naruto's refrigerator finally broke down on him and died. An event that the blonde had been dreading for the last sixth months. When Naruto entered his home with Guruko in his arms, who was sleeping peacefully in the blondes' surprisingly warm arms the whole way, yawned and stretched his neck back and forth to wake up properly. Guruko cracked his eyes open and peered around the small apartment in interest of the place he'd be staying for the next month. What he found greatly surprised him.

There were plants everywhere. A large one in every corner with vine like plants hanging from the ceiling and small one's on the counters and in the middle of the run down table. A few held flowers on them but for the most part it was just a lot of green and leafy plants. Kakashi devotedly watered a plant in his apartment that Naruto had given him sometime during the first couple months team 7 had been formed so the dog knew that Naruto liked plants but this seemed a bit over the top.

That's when the dog came to a second conclusion. The place, despite the numerous plants, was incredibly bare. The plants were literally the only objects in the apartment. No picture frames, no trinkets of any sort, only the occasional bill sitting on the table or a shelf. Guruko imagined, because he still didn't want to talk to Naruto and thus couldn't ask, that the plants were there to fill up space and force the bare apartment to have some life. Naruto walked passed all of them and pushed aside a curtain that had covered a doorway. Guruko discovered that it lead to Naruto's room. The blonde gently placed the dog on his small bed, making sure that the furred animal was placed on the largest bulk of covers there.

Guruko took a peek around, noticing that the place seemed like a cocoon. Unlike the previous kitchen/living room he'd been in, the small room seemed to have all of the possessions Naruto ever owned. Atop the dresser beside the bed by its lone self sat a picture of team 7 and around the bed sat an array of weapons and scrolls. Above the bed sat a poster with the symbol of the leaf and the fire nation that, if he remembered correctly from what Pakkun said about Kakashi's academy days, was given to each and every student for free. Pakkun was the oldest of the dogs and had been with Kakashi since the man's childhood while Guruko had been born while Kakashi was in his mid-teens. Guruko felt his eye twitch, there were more plants too, one in every corner and a couple hanging from the ceiling.

Guruko watched Naruto sigh heavily as the blonde walked into the bathroom with a bowl and come back out with it filled with water. Instead of setting it on the floor though, Naruto set it down on the wide window seal so that the broken legged dog could easily get to it. Guruko would admit he'd expected the blonde not to consider his leg and felt a bit grateful. Naruto sighed again and sat on the bed, scratching Guruko on the head in a rhythmic fashion.

"How am I going to do this?" Naruto half asked the dog half asked himself. Guruko cocked his head to the side and looked at the blonde shinobi. Naruto fell back onto his bed beside the dog, eyes trained on the ceiling. "I can't just leave you here all the time but…" Naruto turned his head till he stared at him, the dog fidgeting under the slightly dull stare.

Naruto sat up quickly and let his arms fall into his lap staring at the floor. "I could take you to the place I train all the time but leave you here when I go to work." Naruto said thoughtfully and peered back as if he expected Guruko to either agree or disagree. _'Not likely,'_ thought Guruko with a snort as he turned away from the blonde. Naruto grinned at the dog and shook his head. "Hehehe… so you don't like me either huh? That's okay not many people do or animals I suppose in your case." Naruto said as he stood up. Guruko's ears went back against his skull at the blonde's words. _'I just don't want to be talked to death is all,' _Guruko thought, _'you're a nice enough kid your just a loud mouth too.'_

"Well, I'm going to go train, do you want to come with?" Naruto asked watching closely for the dog's reaction. After all he was still one of Kakashi's dogs even if Naruto thought he couldn't talk. The dog shoved his head under the covers and placed his butt specifically in front of Naruto. Naruto sighed and Guruko heard the blonde quietly gather some things and head towards the door. "I'll be back in a few hours," Naruto called back and with that the front door closed.

Guruko raised his head as he heard the door open at five that night. Naruto walked into the room covered in a layer of sweat and dirt, but with a content aura around him. "You hungry Guruko?" Naruto asked as he pulled off his jacket and put it in his dirty laundry. Guruko sat up and wagged his tail happily, he was starving, the blonde didn't leave anything for him and he was too stubborn to remind the blond. Naruto laughed and picked the dog up, easily carrying him into the kitchen despite the fact he'd just gotten back from a long training session.

Naruto set him on the ground and headed to his cabinets, opening one up and pulling out a bag of jerky. Guruko yipped happily but frowned as he poured only half the bag into a bowl and left the other half on the table. It wasn't much, especially since he hadn't eaten all day.

Naruto patted is head and left to take a shower. Guruko ate all of it quickly and stared irritably at the empty bowl as the sound of the shower could be heard from the background. When Naruto walked through the kitchen door running a towel through his hair Guruko growled at the blonde, startling him enough to drop the towel onto the floor. Guruko pushed his bowl forward as the blonde stared at him causing the blonde to give a snort of amusement. Naruto grabbed the other half of the jerky bag and poured the rest of it into the bowl. Guruko wagged his tail and munched happily as Naruto sat down at the table with a sigh. Guruko watched out of the corner of his eye as Naruto folded is arms and laid his head down, watching him as he ate. _'Why's he staring at me?' _Guruko asked himself in annoyance.

As Guruko finished up Naruto bent down and picked up the empty bowl. "I wasn't really hungry any ways…" Naruto muttered to himself. Guruko froze and stared at him, he'd eaten Naruto's dinner? _'Why doesn't he just get something else then?'_ Guruko thought, trying to ignore the guilt he felt. Naruto sighed again. "Well, I'll go ahead and pick up your dog food tomorrow and go shopping while I'm at it." Naruto told the dog whose unasked question was unknowingly answered. Guruko gave a guilty start that went unnoticed by the blonde.

As Naruto cleaned the bowl Guruko noticed something. Naruto was wearing black. In the last year there was a number of times Kakashi summoned his dogs during missions and once in a while just while the team trained for enjoyment. In all those times Guruko never once saw Naruto in anything but orange so the sight set him off balance. It was simply a pair of black pants, perhaps a little big on him and a black short-sleeved t-shirt. Naruto finished up and walked into the room, coming back out with a bandana and black bandages. Naruto gave a small smile as the dog cocked an eyebrow at him. "You totally look like Sasuke right now." Naruto told him. Guruko's ears went back in displeasure at the comment and Naruto broke out in laughter.

Naruto sat down and tied the bandana over his head, making sure to cover every strand of the straw colored hair. "I'm going to work," Naruto told the dog as he began to tie the bandages around his face. Guruko stared at the blonde in question. _'You don't have your head band so what work will you be doing and why are you covering your face?' _Guruko thought to himself. As Guruko continued to watch he noted that it wasn't his entire face but just his possession marks that the blonde was covering. As Naruto tightened the bandage and let the ends hang from the back of his neck he caught the dog staring and smiled.

"People easily recognize me from my possession marks. As long as I cover my hair, don't wear orange and hide my marks I'm able to walk around like any normal civilian and get a job like any normal civilian." Naruto added the last part as an afterthought. _'You work two jobs?' _Guruko blinked in surprise.

Naruto walked away from the dog and pulled on his shoes. "I'll take you out to go to the bathroom real quick and then head out after I bring you in. Sound good?" Naruto asked as he picked the dog up and headed out. _'I have three other legs I can walk on, thank you, I don't need to be carried all the time.' _Guruko thought irritably, though still too stubborn to say anything out loud, and admittedly very comfortable anyways.

Guruko limped back and forth, eyes watching the clock wearily, tick-tock. It grated on his nerves more and more with each glance. Twelve hit not but a few minutes ago and the dog was irked. Naruto was not home yet and Guruko was irritated… Okay, he would admit only to himself, he was worried. Forget the fact that Naruto was a shinobi and an orphan that had lived on his own his entire life he was still only thirteen, he shouldn't be out at all hours of the night.

The door creaked open and Naruto walked in with a large yawn. Guruko stopped pacing and growled at the blonde who gave him a sheepish grin. "Satoshi wanted me to mop the floors in the back before I left," Naruto half explained. _'And I'm suppose to know who the crap Satoshi is?' _Guruko silently glowered.

Naruto shrugged and patted him on the head before heading into the bedroom. Guruko limped behind him and watched as the blonde took off everything but his pants and t-shirt. "So, would you rather the bed or the floor," Naruto asked jokingly. Guruko smirked and limbed over to the bed where he sat purposely beside it waiting to be picked up. Naruto sweat dropped. "Hehehe… I gave that to you didn't I?" Naruto asked as he rubbed the back of his head. Naruto pulled off one blanket from his cocoon and dropped it on the floor before gently placing Guruko on top of his bed. The dog snickered as Naruto laid down on the ground.

"Yeah, yeah, just you wait, I'll get the bed tomorrow and then you'll be sleeping on the floor." Naruto said as he turned off the light and curled up on the blanket, closing his eyes for the night. Guruko stared down at the blonde for a long moment before also closing his eyes. _'Your not as bad as I thought.'_

Rays of light could be an evil thing, especially when you lie on a bed that's directly beside a window that's wide open. Guruko growled in irritation, knowing who pushed the window open. It was this very same evil window opener that could be heard humming in the kitchen. Guruko barked loudly, telling the blonde that he was awake and wanted down. Naruto walked in, orange pants and fishnet shirt on, and walked over, only half paying attention and quickly but gently put the dog on the ground. The blonde walked right back into the kitchen with Guruko limping behind him. There was a large bag of kibble on the table and a single thing of meat that Naruto was preparing to cook. Guruko looked at the clock and bulked. It was only seven in the morning and the boy obviously had been awake long enough to pick up food for him.

Naruto continued to hum a, admittedly beautiful, tune as he pounded the meat and carefully cut out the bone. Naruto placed the frozen bone into Guruko's dog bowl before sticking the meat into the oven to cook. When Naruto finally noticed the dog in the room he gave a small smile. "I figured since I forgot to give you some food yesterday afternoon I'd go ahead and cook you something before I left as an apology." Naruto said happily. Guruko nodded in approval as he pulled out bone from bowl and started to gnaw on it. "After I take you out I'll be going on a few D-ranks with Sasuke and Sakura. When I get back, probably around four maybe five, I'll give you some more food and take you out again. I leave every night for my other job about six and don't usually get off till eleven so I won't be able to spend a lot of time with you." Naruto explained as he poured himself a cup of tea. "Tomorrow is a training day though so I'll take you with me. Sakura is going to help me with chakra control and Sasuke's gonna help Sakura with weapons aim. You also have a vet appointment on the Inuzuka compound at six so I'll have to be a little late for work to take you which means that I'll also be staying later than normal."

Naruto's stomach gave a rather large roar but the blonde ignored it as he continued to sip at his tea, though there was a bit of a blush on his cheeks. _'Hasn't he eaten anything since yesterday afternoon?' _Guruko thought worriedly as the dog remembered he'd eaten Naruto's portion of dinner last night. Guruko limped over to Naruto and lightly tugged the orange pant leg till Naruto looked down at him. Guruko whined up at him, his meaning obvious.

"I never eat breakfast." Naruto answered him, at which Guruko's ears went back against his skull. Naruto softly stroked the dog's head as he continued to whine. "Eating food before twelve upsets my stomach," Naruto answered in amusement.

Guruko's first impression that Naruto liked to talk just for the sake of talking was correct. The entire time they waited for the meat to cook the blonde told the dog about a few good pranks he'd pulled at the academy and on some of the villagers but they were much more amusing tales than Guruko would ever admit. For one thing because Naruto believed Guruko could not talk back the blonde was much more honest about failed attempts and even admitted to quite a few hilarious screw-ups. And for another Naruto spoke as if he expected to be ignored so the persona Guruko gauged was much darker and sarcastic than the blonde that belonged to team 7 knew. In the end, Naruto cut up the finished meat, put it in his bowl and left the dog for a busy day.

Guruko sat beside Naruto that night as the two ate dinner together. Guruko chewing his kibbles up while Naruto ate a big bowl of plain white rice. Apparently, as he would discover while sniffing around, Naruto had bought a bag of white rice to match Guruko's dog food. It sat slumped against the wall right next to the kibbles taunting the dog. There was no food in the cabinets or in the refrigerator as Guruko found out when Naruto got home. Just a big white bag of rice, the only thing cheaper than ramen, and definitely not something that you could live off of.

Naruto had explained to him that his refrigerator was copout, that he didn't have the money to replace it, nor would he at any time in the nearby future. The blonde would pick up some meat on the way home every other day for him as Kakashi instructed was the normal diet his dogs received, though simply raw meat instead of cooked.

Guruko watched Naruto slowly eat from the corner of his eyes and wondered how long it had been since Naruto had eaten anything outside of ramen or white rice. Guruko had decided that since Naruto was more open because he believed he could not talk that he would remain silent to see what else he would need to report to Kakashi when the man got back.

He did not like this situation at all. Wasn't the landlord supposed to replace such things as a refrigerator if they broke? Kakashi's landlord always did and the dog had assumed it was suppose to be that way for everyone. After dinner Naruto got dressed in his other work outfit and left. Just as he did the night before Guruko waited up for the blonde, but this time slept on the floor.

Guruko woke up to screaming. The dog jerked awake searching for the cause of alarm and found it to be Naruto. The blonde turned his face into his pillow, trying to muffle the sounds with hands clenched so tight around his bed sheets that the knuckles were white. Guruko looked around trying to find an assailant and finding none searched the short blonde for injuries of which none were evident.

Naruto screamed in agony once more, but at the same time trying desperately to keep the sound in, to keep quiet. Guruko stared in shocked as Naruto pulled out a Kunai and shoved the handle into his mouth. The screams sounded much softer now but no less horrible to watch. Guruko leaped onto the bed, his leg causing him a good deal of pain and causing him to fall more than land on the sheets. Naruto was sitting up, arms tight around his sides, with an intense look of pain in his eyes.

Guruko whimpered as he tried to figure out what was wrong and why Naruto was trying to hide his screams. The dog limped up to Naruto and licked the blondes face but shrank back a little at the intense heat the boy was exhibiting. He definitely had a fever. What could he do? Kakashi was gone, the front door was locked, the windows shut tight and he'd never make it to another shinobi's house with his leg. Naruto's grip on his midriff suddenly tightened as another large scream escaped from around the piece of metal, his body leaning forward till the preteen's sweaty forehead touched his knees. Guruko nuzzled against the blonde, feeling the boy shaking against him. _'What's going on?' _the dog thought in panic.

Naruto screamed for two long hours before the pain seemed to lesson considerably. The kunai dropped out of Naruto's mouth dully as the boy tried desperately to get his breathing back under control. Guruko took up the kunai, dropped it off the side of the bed, and then the dog sniffed Naruto hesitantly as a final check. He didn't smell sick, which was what confused the dog so much, because he had a fever. There was no explanation for the pain either, a fever didn't cause pain like that. Naruto coughed harshly for several long minutes before he gave the dog a weak smile, body falling limply against the sheets again.

"Thanks," Naruto croaked in a hoarse whisper. _"What's wrong brat?"_ Guruko asked, but Naruto didn't hear it, he was already fast asleep. Guruko slipped in as close to the blonde as he could, Naruto's face dipping into his side and one still shaking arm gently rapped around the dog's small body. He did not like this… No, Guruko did not like this at all.


	2. Stay in bed!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, evil people in this fic are all mine though.**

This story is something I've been working on along with A Prisoner's Silence and several other stories. However these stories I will not start posting until there absolutely finished for the sake of fans who hate waiting.

One more thing. Someone wrote me and told me that I need to write shorter paragraphs so that people would be able to find their place easier if they turn away for a moment. Well I did that with this story so just tell me if you think there too short or too long or whatever… Would greatly appreciate it!

One more thing: I have to give credit to my wonderful beta** 'The Epitome of Eccentricity'** for helping me with my story. He's offered to help out my other beta, **'Fortuna16' **with 'A Prisoners Silence' to critique my horrendous grammatical errors. I think I'll take him up on the offer. I need all the help I can get after all. Thank you both!

**Chapter two: The People in the Apartment building are so nice…**

Guruko gave an irritated growl when the alarm clock went off later that Wednesday morning, since he'd never actually gone back to sleep after Naruto's attack. The dog lunged at the beeping machine and bit deep into it until the thing died away. When he heard a small groan, Guruko quickly turned back to the blonde he'd been lying next to. Naruto turned his head towards Guruko with a tired expression.

"I hate it too, but buying a new alarm clock is going to cost me money you know." Naruto said softly. Giving a guilty start, Guruko moved closer and nuzzled Naruto's cheek, checking the small blonde for the high fever he'd possessed last night and almost all morning. Naruto stroked the dog tiredly as he did this, a small smile of amusement on the pre-teens face.

"I'm okay," Naruto assured him as he sat up. The dog growled a warning at the blonde, angry that he would try to get up so soon after being in so much pain. Naruto gave the dog a pat on the head, but otherwise ignored the obvious reprimanding. "Shhhh. It's not a big deal," Naruto told him, "it happens two or three times a week. I'm not dying or in any kind of danger from it. Just a lot of pain; nothing I can't handle." Guruko's body tensed at the blonde's words, visibly shaken by the revelation. Kakashi would have a fit when he finds out. How long had it been going on?

Naruto stumbled out of bed, taking a few moments to balance himself and take a steadying breath. The blonde turned to Guruko with hands on hips, eyes wearily watching the dog that stared back. "There's not any kind of dog Morse code out there that you can use to tell Kakashi about this is there?" Naruto asked suspiciously. Guruko almost flinched, but thanks to some of Kakashi's personal training managed to keep it at bay. Guruko shook his head, which caused Naruto to sigh and mutter under his breath, something along the lines of 'Just like Kakashi.' Naruto picked up the dog and brought him into the kitchen with him before proceeding to carry on normally by pouring Guruko food and water then putting the pot on for tea.

Guruko watched all this in morbid fascination, eyes carefully trained on the blonde to make sure he didn't suddenly fall to the ground screaming. When the kettle whistled, Naruto hurriedly poured the tea, adding only a little of the precious sugar into the cup. Naruto then carefully sat down at the table, a slight wince escaping that caused Guruko to immediately jump to the preteens side, eyes imploring. Naruto took a long breath before letting it out and looked down at Guruko, who stared up at him in alarm. "Really, you don't have to act like a mother hen, the pain lingers a little, but by the time we get to the training grounds with Sasuke and Sakura it will be completely gone. _'Your not going.' _Guruko thought to himself. It wasn't obvious; in fact if you weren't looking for it you'd miss it- the look of total exhaustion on Naruto's features.

Guruko already had been wondering how Naruto managed to work all day, every day without being tired, but this was ridiculous. So he'd watched closely since the blonde awoke, and finally came to the conclusion that it wasn't that the blonde wasn't tired or exhausted it was that Naruto hid it nearly flawlessly. He suspected that the only reason it was 'nearly' instead of 'perfectly' was due to the fact that Naruto stopped pretending the moment he would get home. Guruko noticed that Naruto practically dissolved the moment he stepped through the door these past two days he'd been staying at the apartment. His smile would drop, his body would release all of the built up tension the dog didn't even know was there until it was gone, and this very worn down expression would consume his features.

When Naruto started to grab his shinobi attire Guruko limped over to where he knew the blonde kept his pouch and weapons before biting a hold of it, dropping it onto the floor and promptly laying over it. When the blonde walked over, fully dressed, to see the dog on his weapons pouch, he let out a sigh of frustration. "Look Guruko, I need to meet the others so give it up, I need to train." Naruto said as he knelt down to take it. Guruko snarled at him to keep away, clearly getting his message across. Naruto retracted his hand and glared at the dog.

"I'm not going back to bed. I'm not staying home. I'm completely fine, now give me my weapons!" Naruto said in agitation. Guruko merely growled back. _'I can be just as stubborn as you!' _Guruko thought. Naruto stood up and glared daggers at the dog before turning and heading towards the door. Guruko grabbed the weapons pouch in his mouth and limped over to the door until he stood in front of it, dropped the pouch and laid on it once more. "I don't have time to play with you mutt," Naruto spat angrily.

"I need to train so that I can get better missions so that I can afford to get the fuck out of here. Now move!" Guruko lowered his head a bit, startled at Naruto's tone. Never before in the last year of knowing the blonde or the last two days of staying at the preteens apartment had Naruto ever been angry with him. "This is the exact reason I never tell any of my team about anything, because then they'd pull stupid shit like this!" Naruto snarled as he eyed Guruko icily.

"They could never understand how hard it is to simply live. Everything costs money; food, shelter, water, heat, electricity, clothes. Unlike them I don't have everything handed to me on a silver platter. If I come to the bridge sick, they tell me to go home to get better, but if I don't work, I don't get paid. If I don't get paid, I don't get medicine or food or water or any of the things that make you better. No, I end up doing no work, not getting better and feeling even worse because they won't let me work. Now I need to leave." Naruto hissed at the dog. Naruto's anger rose when the dog refused to move.

"I feel the love, really I do," Naruto said sarcastically, "I'm sure I'll feel the gnaw of starvation in my stomach when I can't get food and the freezing cold air when I can't pay for heating too." With every word Guruko felt lower and lower before he eventually laid on the ground with his ears flat to his head. He'd not considered the consequences being so severe for the blonde. Kakashi never mentioned things being so difficult for any of his students so the dog assumed they'd all been fairly well off, especially since the third Hokage himself looked after the well fair of Naruto and now the fifth greatly cared for him. Had Naruto starved before? Had he been left to freeze as the blonde's words suggested he'd had?

Guruko got up and moved away from the pouch, which Naruto quickly grabbed and fixed on his leg before the dog changed his mind. Guruko watched as Naruto opened the door and looked back strait at him, the blonde's motions hesitant. In a much softer voice than before he spoke, "If you still want to come to training grounds with me your welcome to… I'm sorry I yelled at you. I didn't mean to… I just sorta' lost my temper. I… just really need the money right now. Okay? I know you were only trying to do what you thought was best…" Naruto trailed off, unsure of what else to say. Guruko limped over to the blonde and as Naruto bent down licked the blonde's cheek as a sign of forgiveness. Naruto gave him a small smile and picked the dog up to head out.

The blonde made sure not to jar his leg down the three flights of stairs and for that Guruko was thankful. After last nights jump to the bed he'd been in more pain then when Kakashi first got the cast on with the vet touching it 'hard' in order to see exactly what was broken. Suddenly Guruko felt the arms holding him tense and his body pushed closer to the blonde's chest. Their pace quickened, no longer a soft ride as Naruto attempted to get out of the building without seeming rushed. Guruko peered around and found that the only other person around was a women in her late twenties, just leaning against the wall next to the exit/entrance of the building. She was rather pretty, with silky black hair that touched her shoulders in just the right way, and piercing light brown eyes that seemed to miss nothing.

As Naruto walked passed her Guruko was surprised to see the women clamp her hand onto Naruto's shoulder. Naruto's grip tightened on the dog and the blonde's eyes took on a blank look that scared the crap out of Guruko. Guruko growled at the women, warning her off, but she ignored him as if he was nothing but a cat! "Good morning Naruto," The women said sweetly, "I trust you had a wonderful nights sleep." Guruko could feel Naruto's fingers clench slightly around his fur, under his body. Did this women know about whatever hurt Naruto last night? Why did Naruto seem frightened of her? Guruko watched Naruto visibly struggle to get his emotions under control before slapping a grin on his face.

Naruto turned towards her with a big toothy smile, hands no less tight on Guruko though. "My night was wonderful, I couldn't have slept better." Naruto said in a surprisingly sincere tone. There was a silence where both humans and dog knew Naruto was suppose to be courteous and ask 'Well, how was your night Ma'am?' Naruto never asked though, he just continued to smile and then slowly began backing up until he was at the doorway.

"Can he talk?" She asked sweetly. Naruto looked down at Guruko wearily before shaking his head. "No, he can't." Naruto said as he took another step backwards and turned, "I have to go, bye!" "Naruto!" The women called causing Naruto to halt though hesitantly. "I'm not a patient or nice women," She said sternly. The toothy grin faltered before it fell completely. "I know," Naruto said gravely before taking off without a single glance back.

Naruto didn't stop until they reached the training grounds where Sasuke and Sakura were to meet him. Guruko found the conversation ten minutes ago to be deeply disturbing, every few seconds peering up at Naruto who seemed to be ignoring him, eyes focused strait ahead and nowhere else. Naruto gently set the dog down before preceding to the nearest set of trees and withdrawing four kunai from his weapons pouch, two in each hand, each between a knuckle. Guruko watched as Naruto flung the deadly projectiles into the trees bark with a tenacity, accuracy and viciousness he'd rarely ever seen from a Gennin. Guruko made sure to stay far from the blonde as the preteen continued. They were early, very early actually. Guruko wondered if Naruto came early every day to do this or if this was odd for the blonde.

Two hours later Guruko couldn't help but gap. Never once did Naruto slow down in his assault of the trees, each time he ran out of kunai he would hurriedly rip them from the bark's hold only to begin again. Naruto didn't even seem particularly tired. In fact the blonde was still overflowing with negative emotions. The killing intent the blonde held the entire time caused the dog a great deal of trouble since it made the air difficult to breath. Guruko had been forced back fifty feet just to be able to handle the sheer force of will that was Naruto. Ten minutes before Sasuke and Sakura were to arrive the blonde suddenly froze, just about to toss yet another kunai.

The blonde peered behind him at the sun and deftly twirled the kunai before stashing it and closing his eyes. Guruko could hear Naruto mumbling to himself before the blonde shook himself not unlike a wet dog and took deep, deep breaths to calm himself down. Slowly, ever so slowly, the killing intent in the air wavered and died, just like that. Guruko watched in fascination as Naruto open his eyes, walked over to the trees and began to wrench the kunai out to stash back in his bag.

By the time Sasuke and Sakura arrived with their respective charges Naruto seemed to be a completely different person. He sat on the grass, a broad smile on his face and greeted his team as if he'd not just ripped apart several of the trees in the area. Sasuke surveyed their training ground till his eyes fell on top of the torn apart trees. The pale preteen frowned deeply. "Damn Jounin have been training in our field again." Sasuke said irritably. Guruko gapped at the Uchiha.

"I know right?" Naruto agreed, his voice just as annoyed, "Kaka-sensei was suppose to have talked to them about it." Guruko's head twisted 180 as the dog stared at Naruto in utter shock. Naruto patted Guruko's head, not even batting an eyelash as he blatantly lied to his team without the slightest hesitancy. Naruto stretched nonchalantly, easily ignoring Guruko's eyes boring into him. "We should get started huh?" Naruto stated more than asked.

Even after the two hours of early work Naruto performed before team 7's training the blonde worked through the normal exercises that were part of the team's regimen. Then through the chakra exercise that Sakura explained to the blonde, but not without insulting the preteen at least three different times through the explanation, much to Guruko's annoyance. The exercise was to keep a leaf atop the forehead with chakra, simple enough except that Naruto was having an extremely hard time with it. Guruko limped over to the sitting blonde, dark muttering escaping from his lips every few seconds when the leaf would flutter to the ground. Guruko lay beside the blonde, watching him carefully.

As the leaf once more fluttered to the ground Naruto glared at it venomously. "I've got too much chakra for this stupid exercise to work," Naruto growled in irritation. Guruko could agree with that. The leaf exercise required a minimum amount of chakra, similar to the regular bunshin jutsu, which is why Naruto could not perform the said jutsu. Never the less the blonde continued on his useless crusade, something Guruko wanted desperately to ask why when they both knew he would not be able to. Guruko peered at Sakura, the girl being carefully instructed by Sasuke each time her aim would be off. She probably held not even the smallest inkling about how much chakra her teammate had and thus hadn't considered it when she gave the exercise to him. Guruko knew that Naruto would never mention this little fact to the rosette though. Naruto kept all information about himself and his 'power' a tightlipped secret.

"God damn it." Naruto swore as the leaf fell once more. Guruko's attention came back to the blonde. _'Why don't you just go and ask her for something that requires more chakra?' _Guruko wondered. The afternoon sun was at its highest when the team broke for a break. Sakura walked over with Pakkun in her arms and shook her head at Naruto as he once more tried to keep the leaf attached to his forehead and failed.

"Naruto, that's by far one of the most simplest chakra exercises I know. Even academy students can easily do it. I can't believe that you're that untalented," Sakura said in exasperation. Guruko watched Naruto's fingers curl and shake, but the blonde quickly hid it by stuffing his hands into his jacket. "Ah, Sakura-chan, that's harsh." Naruto said in a mock hurt voice. Sakura just huffed and turned to Sasuke. "Do you guys want to go eat lunch now?" Sakura asked her teammates though it was clearly more so directed at Sasuke. Guruko watched Naruto's face fall for a moment before the blonde forced his features into a grin.

"Where would you guys want to eat?" Naruto asked happily. Sakura peered at him for a second, deep in thought. "There's a really good buffet they have near the academy," Sakura said slowly, eyes toward Sasuke for her crushes approval. Sasuke shrugged and started walking in the direction of the academy with Uhei right behind him, Sakura more than happy to hurry to his side with Pakkun in her arms. Naruto's face fell into weary resignation before slowly turning back into a grin and walking over to Guruko.

Naruto picked up Guruko and followed after his teammates and the other two dogs at a slower pace. Guruko noticed how Naruto shoved a few leaves in his pockets on their way though. Naruto caught up to them, but instead of walking beside the two decided to stay directly behind them as they moved through the crowds. "What are we going to do with the dog's?" Naruto asked steadily. Sasuke gave Naruto an annoyed look, something Guruko was quickly becoming angry at.

"Kakashi's dog's are allowed in all public places within Konoha," Sasuke said dryly. Pakkun gave an indignant snort at Naruto's question as well. "Kakashi told us that a long time ago Naruto and it was in the instructions," Sakura added in the 'are you really that stupid' tone of voice. "Right, right. I remember," Naruto said slightly dejected, though neither of his teammates seemed to care.

When they were outside the restaurant Guruko felt Naruto's arms stiffen around him. "Hey Sasuke, Sakura?!" Naruto said, much louder than necessary. They both turned toward him. "I'll go ahead and grab the dog's something to eat if you take Guruko in for me. Go ahead and start eating cause I don't know how long I'll be. Okay?" Naruto asked as he held out Guruko to Sasuke. Guruko gave a whine as Sasuke nodded and took him into his arms. Naruto turned and walked away as the rest of them entered the restaurant.

* * *

"Where the hell is he?" Pakkun growled out in his deep voice irritably as the dog's stomach growled _at him_. It was an hour and a half before Sasuke and Sakura finally got fed up with waiting for the blonde and left for the training grounds, three hungry dogs in toll. "Well get you some food on the way there," Sakura promised them as they turned down the main street. Guruko scanned the crowds, eyes trying to catch the orange jacket that stood out like the sun in the blue sky. "Sorry!" A loud familiar voice called out to the group. _'_

_Almost like he was waiting for us to leave the restaurant,' _Guruko thought, looking at he blonde with suspicion. Pakkun once more growled at the small blonde who took a step back and would have raised his arms in surrender if not for the brown bag in his hands.

"I got their food, lets go ahead and head to the training field and they can eat there," Naruto said cheerfully. Sakura walked up to Naruto, her hair shadowing her face before she raised her fist and smacked the blonde's head with it. Naruto took a few steps back, not even the smallest bit surprised by the assault on his person. Guruko growled at the rosette but the girl assumed that the growl was meant for Naruto. "We were waiting for you for nearly two hours, you dimwit!" Sakura cried out angrily.

"I know! I'm sorry but the butcher had a lot of people in line so I had to wait a while," Naruto explained sheepishly. Sasuke sighed. "I suppose well have to stop by some where to grab you something to eat then," Sasuke said aggravated. "No need," Naruto assured, "I grabbed a sandwich on my way back." With that they headed off to training.

As they walked home around four that afternoon Guruko couldn't help but shiver. Above him, Naruto focused his attention on the ground in front of him, head bent down as his feet hurriedly walked down the street. People either moved away from him as if the very air around him were the plague or purposely tried to bump into him. Naruto was able to dodge all such attempts with an ease that clearly spoke of years of experience. The thought disturb the dog greatly. He raised his hackles at a few, but Naruto would always stroke his fur soothingly, as if to comfort _him._

Guruko growled as one particularly large man with black bandages covering the entirety of his head barged past the much smaller blonde and glared down icily at the preteen as he simply and gracefully twirled around him, not once lifting his head from staring at the ground, and continued to walk. Naruto stroked back Guruko's pointy ears and his grip on the dog tightened a bit, though not uncomfortably so. "Shhhhh… Stop growling at people. Your gonna get me in trouble you know." Naruto whispered quietly to the dog.

Guruko gave a small snarl at the blonde, clearly not liking the idea of just letting the people get away with what they were doing. Naruto sighed heavily. "That big guy you just growled at?" Naruto asked softly as they continued to walk, "He's an Anbu captain, someone even Kakashi would have trouble with. You should never have growled at him cause now he's angry at me, it was fine that I dodged but it's bad if I show any reaction to stuff like that. It always comes back to bite me in the ass. So please just ignore it." Guruko huffed at the blonde as they entered Naruto's home.

Soon after, Naruto poured a bowl of food for Guruko and place it beside the table. "I know your not hungry now but I won't be back till very late so its there for you," Naruto said as he filled up the water bowl next. Guruko grumbled but it was more in amusement this time around. The blonde then proceeded to make an exceptionally comfy mini bed beside the big bed, created out of the only extra blanket Naruto had in his home. Then preceded to check the heater to make sure it was warm enough for the dog. Then made sure all the windows were tightly shut against the cold of the night and curtains drawn.

It all reminded him of something Kakashi said about two months ago when the subject of Naruto came up. "Give the boy an opponent and he becomes a calculating strategist bound to defeat the enemy with some ingenious scheme, try to get the blonde to explain how he did it and you'll just get a headache. Give the boy someone to care for and he becomes an overprotective mother hen bound to drive you nuts with his carefulness, try to ask why he cares so much or argue against it and you'll suddenly become the opponent."

Guruko rolled onto his back as he watched the blonde begin to boil water, then inwardly groaned as he poured rice into the pot. _'Does he eat anything but white rice and ramen?' _Guruko thought angrily. As the water boiled, Naruto made sure to water all of his precious plants and to Guruko's immense bewilderment, Naruto actually talked to them. He went around the room talking softly, as if to keep from offending ears that did not exist, and told them all about his day. Kakashi's words came back to him. "_Naruto talks to everyone whether they can hear or understand him anyway. You have to remember that Naruto's been alone all his life. I often fined him talking to himself while he trains just to fill the air with noise. I think it's just his way of trying not to feel too lonely._ "

Guruko watched the blonde with sad eyes. He understood now. Naruto's obsession with plants, why so many and so well taken care of. They were the only company that Naruto ever got. Guruko had to wonder if he was the first guest that Naruto had ever had in his home before_. __"Hehehe… so you don't like me either huh? That's okay not many people do or animals I suppose in your case."_ No, he was definitely the first to be here. The rice was done cooking by the time Naruto made his round; the blonde eating his rice quickly and to the very last grain.

* * *

Naruto somehow locked his door on the way out with Guruko in hands before they turned to exit the building. It was as they exited that Guruko noticed how the rest of the apartments, at least from what you could see of the outside, seemed to be much better kept up than Naruto's. Somehow Guruko knew that the worse off condition of Naruto's home was in no way connected with Naruto's lack of care. Naruto kept his home extremely clean and dustless. The only thing not kept up was Naruto's always unmade bed, but Guruko guessed it was from Naruto's lack of knowledge on proper house keep rather than laziness.

Guruko sensed it five seconds before it happened. It took four for a bark to exit his mouth and gave Naruto only a single second to react. Naruto twisted the front of his body away from the wall he'd been walking beside, forcing his arms to encircle the dog and leaning his head forward over the dogs front, using as much of his small mass as a human shield as possible just as the attack came. It came as a full on body slam by a much larger and stronger body into the wall he'd just turned away from. The man, using the full force of his larger mass and his forearm in front of him as the focus point of all his power, met the nearly unsuspecting blonde full on.

Naruto felt his head nock harshly against the wall, his brain doing a loop de loop inside his skull. A split second later the forearm came crashing against his throat, the scream that had been escaping the blondes lips cutting off and trapping in his lungs so that they felt as if they'd burst. Then the rest of the man's body came crashing against his, pinning his legs against the wall as the enemy finally came to a stop. An object in motion will stay in motion till another object stops its motion. Simple physics, but Naruto was always one who hated that kind logic any way.

Thankfully, Guruko was fine. Trapped between their bodies, angry beyond belief, having a difficult time breathing because of the pressure, mouth closed shut by one of Naruto's hands, but otherwise fine. Naruto's body successfully shielded him from the blow, which in itself angered him. The damned blonde was suppose to have done something to protect himself not _him!_ Guruko struggled to get free as he heard Naruto choking for air, the large body pinning him against the wall refusing to let up pressure. If Naruto had dropped Guruko before the assault came then the blondes hands would be free right now instead of pinned down against his body and Guruko's.

Guruko felt their bodies being raised into the air, the man pushing the small blonde up the wall with his forearm easily. Guruko could hear the sickening sound of flesh scraping against brick, something no human would be able to pick up. The dog tried to snarl, tried to wiggle free, but could feel that the only thing he was doing was causing Naruto pain by smashing into the blonde's already taxed lungs.

"Enjoying yourself?" A deep male voice asked calmly as Naruto continued to choke for air. Suddenly their bodies fell to the ground, but Naruto never let Guruko fall out of his arms, even in so much pain he refused to let the dog get hurt because someone had a personal vendetta against him. Naruto coughed harshly, hands moving up to his neck as he tried to breathe. Guruko burst out from Naruto's hold and viciously snarled at the tall, broad shouldered man before him. Black hair with brown streaks all throughout it's length, which sat almost proudly just beneath the man's tan ears. If Guruko could guess he'd say the man was just over thirty years in age. He wore no ninja attire nor did he have a headband, but no non-shinobi could move so fast. In fact not many shinobi could move that fast.

Narrowed eyes of a deep brown stared down and past Guruko at the blonde behind him, still gasping for air. Guruko snarled again to garner the man's attention from Naruto. Guruko tried to lunge at the man, but his body slammed against some kind of chakra barrier around the man. Guruko yelped as the left side of his face went numb and he could no longer feel his nose. The man laughed darkly. "Well, it seems you've got yourself a cute little guard dog, one of Kakashi's to boot." The man whispered out softly.

Naruto continued to cough harshly, unknown to Guruko, his windpipe had been crushed and his Bijuu was weaving his chakra into the blonde's throat to heal it as quickly as possible. Blood dripped to the floor from Naruto's lips, his wet, hacking cough horrible to hear. Guruko didn't see the blood though, his eyes were trained on the enemy as he moved between Naruto and the man. He would try to attack again, but then that would leave Naruto wide open for another assault, which the blonde wouldn't be able to handle if he couldn't breath. "I hope you enjoy your day, Naruto. I have some work that needs my attention at headquarters." The man said simply and with that was swept away by an array of leaves.

"Cough, cough, cough…" Guruko turned to see a stream of blood dripping steadily onto the cement as Naruto held his throat, which to the dog's horror was turning a deep black very quickly. Guruko nudged Naruto to stand, pulling at the blonde's sleeves. Naruto shakily complied, first on hands and knees before steadily trying to life his body further. The dog watched in panic as Naruto's entire body shuddered before dipping toward the ground again, the blonde only just managing not to nock his head against the cement. "Cough, cough, cough…" Guruko threw his head up and howled loudly, seeking the attention of anyone nearby. Guruko limped down the hall, eyes searching for any soul nearby. That's when he saw a glimpse of someone just entering their door, all the way down the hall, with a bag of grocery's in her arms.

It was the women from earlier. Guruko didn't want this women to know he could talk but… Guruko howled loudly, limping down the hall as the women turned towards him. "Well, if it isn't little Naruto's dog. You didn't seem to like me this morning, why the change of heart?" The women asked in amusement. Guruko whimpered and howled again, turning around and limping back. The women got his message and followed him. Guruko knew that for some reason Naruto greatly disliked this women, that he even seemed afraid of her, but Naruto's life was in danger.

When the women turned the corner and spotted Naruto coughing up blood and clutching his throat she immediately swooped down and sat in front of him to assess the damage. "Cough, cough, cough…" Naruto's eyes widened as she took his chin in her hands and examined his neck. Guruko watched wearily as he saw Naruto attempt to back away from her but was too weak with his oxygen deprived mind to put up much of a fight, especially when the women's grip tightened.

"It appears that you're in a predicament, aren't you little one?" She asked softly, eyes boring into his. Naruto's eyes were beginning to roll into the back of his head. "If I heal this will you come this weekend? I'll be having a friend over as well." She asked in that stern voice Guruko heard earlier. Naruto's entire frame stiffened. Guruko wanted to snarl at the women and at the same time whimper for her to help him. He was so confused as to what was going on.

"Kyuubi will be able to heal this so either way you'll live," She said in a clipped voice, "However he won't be able to heal it in time for you to avoid a few weeks in the hospital. Then you'll be behind in your bills again… that wouldn't be very nice now would it? Hospital bills, rent and other things…" She asked softly. Naruto continued to cough, the blood coming without stop, tears of pain unwillingly dripping from the blonde's eyes. Guruko whimpered beside him, nudging the blonde and glaring angrily at the women. To use a situation like this to get Naruto to agree to something? It was unimaginably cruel.

Naruto shook his head, forcefully wrenching himself from her grip and backed away. The effort was immense though, he'd already been unable to breath for several minutes. Naruto coughed up a rather large lump of blood before laying his head on the ground. Guruko whimpered from beside Naruto's head before growling fiercely at the black haired women. "What can I do? He refuses to take my help." The women said calmly to the dog. Guruko pulled on Naruto's sleeve, who weakly stared back at him before turning his head ever so slightly to the women and giving her a slight nod, and then succumbing to unconsciousness.

A wicked smile graced the beautiful women's face before her hands glowed a greenish hue of healing chakra. She quickly went to work, first and foremost opening the windpipe back up. Naruto painfully gasped for air, his chest barely moving up and down as the beautiful women preceded to force air into the lungs while simultaneously aiding the Kyuubi to stitch the windpipe up.

Guruko watched in sheer terror as the boy's breathing hitched horribly and the wet coughs grew worse as air came in to fuel them. The dog whined piteously as Naruto's pale face slowly but surely grew tan once more. When after forty-five minutes past by and the green hue of chakra finally vanished, Naruto's chest moved easily up and down, though the blood all around him like some sick ritual was disconcerting. The women wiped her brow with her sleeve before smirking to herself and looking down at the dog and boy before her. Guruko couldn't help but shiver at the cold gleam that shown in the women's eyes.

"He won't be going any where tonight that's for sure," the women said to herself. Guruko watched her wearily and as she went to pick up the boy, Guruko placing himself firmly between the blonde and the beautiful women. She snorted in amusement. "Do you want me to leave him in the hall like this or would you like me to take him back to his room?" The women asked. Guruko, whose hackles had raised and hair was ruffled, forcefully calmed down and stepped aside. The beautiful women placed her arms under his legs and behind his back before she lifted him off the dirty floor and cradled him against her rather large chest. Guruko limped after her as she headed for Naruto's apartment, rummaging through the blonde's pocket for the key and awkwardly opening the door, similar to Naruto's own plight just about an hour before hand.

She walked into the apartment without further ado and across the living room/kitchen to enter the bedroom. She took her time, examining everything within the apartment before setting Naruto down on the bed, her fingers lightly tracing the jacket and then caressing the bloodied face, pushing back a strand of straw colored hair. "He really is adorable isn't he?" She asked the dog in a lilting tone. Without saying anything else she turned and walked out the door, closing it behind her.

* * *

Guruko never left Naruto's side that night, listening carefully for even the smallest amount of difficulty breathing. Luckily, it appeared that the beautiful women Naruto was so terrified of knew her medical jutsu well. Naruto didn't awake until late the next morning, far past the time to meet Sasuke and Sakura for training, incredibly too late for the appointment and there was no question that Naruto would get into trouble for missing work. When the small blonde finally stirred from the deep healing sleep he'd been placed in, Guruko made sure he was right there beside him. Naruto's eyes tiredly cracked open, the familiar icy blue staring at the dog for several long moments, dulled by lingering pain.

Naruto slowly sat up, leaning heavily against the wall, before his gaze fell to his lap and stayed there. Guruko moved cautiously up to the blonde, resting his muzzle on Naruto's knee and staring up at him. Guruko blinked in surprise when he found tears streaming down the face above him. The lips trembling with suppressed sobs that eventually escaped in the form of hiccups. Naruto's entire frame shook with them. Guruko moved forward and leaned against Naruto's chest, a whimper escaping the dog's throat.

The action caused what little control Naruto possessed over his emotions to break. Naruto buried his face into the dog's fur as sobs wracked his entire body, his hands pulled the dog in and hugged him tightly, desperately trying to garner comfort from the only companion to ever see him break down. Guruko nuzzled Naruto's face, licking the tears from the preteen's eyes. For a long time they just sat there in that position, a heartbroken expression adorning Naruto's features, a helpless feeling overwhelming Guruko.

When Naruto spoke his voice came out in a harsh whisper, still healing from the injury obviously. "I… I should get you… get you another appointment." Naruto whispered painfully. The dog looked up at Naruto stunned. _'No! You need to tell someone what the man did,' _Guruko thought ferociously. Why wasn't Naruto telling anyone about these horrible things happening to him? Why would he keep it a secret if he could get away from these people and be safe? Naruto still shook terribly, obviously shaken up and in pain from the experience yesterday. Naruto sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"Kakashi… Kaka-sensei is going to be so mad." Naruto said softly, tightly hugging Guruko. _'Yes, he's going to be furious that this happened!' _Guruko thought. _'He'll hunt down that man and make him pay for sure.' _"I can't believe I missed your appointment," Naruto said, reprimanding himself, "I'm so stupid sometimes." Guruko gaped at Naruto. The blonde had been assaulted last night and if not for the fact that he was a Jinchuuriki he would have most likely have died before the beautiful women even got to him, yet he was worried about some godforsaken appointment? He'd been sobbing just a minute ago for goodness sake.

Naruto set Guruko to the side and unsteadily got out of bed, much to the dog's growing horror. Naruto sniffled and looked around. "I need to… to stop by work and apologize later too." Naruto said as he moved away and began going through the routine of getting ready for the day, as if he'd not just suffered a life threatening injury. _'Are you crazy?' _Guruko thought, _'Get back in bed!' _Guruko growled at the blonde who seemed to not even hear him.

"I need… to do laundry today too." Naruto said quietly as he pulled out a set of clothes and set them on the bed. Guruko barked loudly at the blonde, but still Naruto didn't seem to hear him. Naruto tugged off his clothes and let them drop to the ground, exposing his black and blue neck and causing the dog to wince. Naruto walked into the bathroom and soon after Guruko heard the sound of the shower starting.

* * *

A/N: I know that it seems like Naruto's getting hurt a lot but relax! This is the direct physical attack. I needed it for the plot to take place and the person who attacked is very important to the plot! This isn't a 'let's see how much we can beat Naruto' story. It was a necessary attack. You'll understand later.


	3. Sometimes I pretend

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Windschild818: Okay… I won't be here tomorrow, a collage debate, a history essay and exam papers due soooooooo… You guys get 2 chapters thanks to my wonderful beta The Epitome of Eccentricities. It's in celebration for Spring break! Which I have this upcoming week. I know high school and elementary don't get off till April but that will be your guys' break not mine…. So… I'm not celebrating then.

Chapter 3: Sometimes I pretend that…

Guruko shifted uncomfortably in the blonde's strong arms, the blue vest-like jacket with a frowny face on its back scrunched up till it stopped at his neck with every sudden jerk of Naruto's movements, and the forehead protector he wore proudly around his neck would slap against his chin every time the young shinobi had jumped from one roof to the next. The dog could feel his soft slightly short brown fur get pulled each time the preteen turned his body. Guruko felt his pointed ears twitch in annoyance. Yes, the small wolf-like dog was not happy being a passenger. His white muzzle allowed a short growl to escape his pointy teeth infested mouth as they dropped from the final rooftop. Naruto blinked and looked down at the dog, smiling sheepishly as he realized he'd forgotten the dog, even while they were heading to the vet. "Sorry," Naruto whispered.

When they finally turned onto the Inuzuka compound early that Thursday afternoon Guruko was in an extremely foul mood. It was made all the worse by the fact that Naruto wore a big grin on his face the size of fire country and possessed an all around cheerful attitude. It caused the dog to wonder if Naruto ever came to Kakashi's training sessions with such fake emotions. If Guruko hadn't witnessed Naruto's breakdown and all around broken aura for the last couple hours inside the apartment, he'd never in a million years guess the blonde before him was deeply hurting.

He thanked whatever god there was up there that Naruto didn't know that he could talk because he severely doubted that Naruto would have allowed him to see such dark emotions so easily. At the gates, they were greeted by a tall young women with the traditional red canine markings on her cheeks and long bound up straight, brown hair. "Hello there Uzumaki-kun. Kakashi told me you'd be bringing Guruko to his appointment, I've been fairly worried since you didn't show up. What happened?" Guruko yipped happily at the sight of Hana Inuzuka to which the women frowned, wondering if there was something wrong with his vocal cords.

Naruto, on the other hand, blushed horribly red. "Kun?" Naruto whispered hoarsely in a surprised voice; throat still hurting him some. It took a moment for Guruko to understand why Naruto would react to such a simple and common form of expression before he remembered that Naruto was a Jinchuuriki. Jinchuuriki were not called by any type of honorific by anyone, they were considered to be beneath such a human reference. Not even Naruto's teammates or any of the rookies ever refer to Naruto with 'kun,' despite the fact that none of them knew about him being a Jinchuuriki. They had long ago subconsciously learned Naruto didn't deserve it through the reactions of the adult citizens and shinobi around them.

Guruko snorted in annoyance, humans could be truly stupid sometimes. Despite the fact that Naruto's DNA and chakra pathways had been slightly altered to handle the immense and potent chakra within his body, there was nothing else that separated him from a normal human. He could easily be compared to a special human or one that possessed a blood limit. Just because the power Naruto possessed was ten times more powerful than a normal blood limit, didn't mean that the silly humans had to run around like chickens with their heads cut off- afraid they would die if Naruto simply made a single wrong or threatening move. This, Guruko knew, was preposterous.

Naruto, as Kakashi many times would talk about with either annoyance or extreme pride, had one of the kindest hearts in existence. Annoyance because it meant that Naruto wanted to help every person who wasn't happy when they went on missions and find some extremely time consuming way to do it. A great deal of pride because it meant that Naruto wanted to help every person who wasn't happy when they went on missions despite the harshness of his own life.

Naruto leaned forward in a short bow, "I'm very sorry, something came up last night that I couldn't avoid. It's no excuse but I hope you'll forgive me for wasting your time. I was hoping to set up another appointment if that's possible?" Naruto said politely. Guruko was quite shocked. Naruto never showed any one manners; Kakashi could often times be found muttering about disrespectful blondes when he complained about his students to his dogs. Naruto was practically famous for it! It seemed that all that got Naruto to be polite was a show of manners to him first. Hana Inuzuka smiled warmly down at the blonde as she waved for him to come inside. Naruto did so and followed her all the way to the back room where he carefully set Guruko down, making extra sure not to jar the dog's leg.

"I have plenty of time for an appointment right now actually," Hana said thoughtfully as she pulled down supplies from a cabinet. "I would really appreciate that," Naruto said gratefully, a relieved sigh escaping him. Hana nodded absentmindedly as she set down all she needed onto the cold metal table. "Uzumaki-kun, my brother is in the backyard practicing one of our families jutsu's. I'm sure he would be very happy to see you if you'd like to go talk to him while I work on Guruko." Hana said as she finally looked up at the blonde. Naruto blushed scarlet again at the honorific before a contemplative look crossed his face. Guruko watched as Naruto's gaze finally settled on him.

"Will you be alright here without me?" Naruto asked hesitantly. Guruko suppressed the urge to sigh in exasperation. Kakashi was totally right, Naruto was a complete mother hen. Instead the dog yipped happily and wagged his tail, leaning forward and licking Naruto's face. Naruto nodded at him, scratching behind the dog's ear before finally departing to head toward the backyard. Now was the dog's chance…

When the blonde disappeared from sight Hana turned on him with a sharp gleam in her eyes. "Why exactly are you suddenly playing mute?" Hana demanded, "The last time I checked it's a task to get you to not complain about something." _'Ouch, that wasn't necessary.' _Guruko thought. _"I did it so that Naruto wouldn't know I can speak." _Guruko said honestly. Hana frowned at him and crossed her arms. "Why?" Guruko flinched a bit at the question, lying wasn't an option but now he felt rather horrible about his reasoning. _"I… thought Naruto would annoy me to death if he knew I could talk back." _Guruko said slowly. Hana scowled at him.

"With all the crap that boy puts up with and the fact that he is taking care of you the very least you could do is talk with him. God only knows how much the boy could use someone to be nice to him. I've even heard Kiba sometimes coming home from the academy talking about how funny it was to see the 'idiot' fail. Mother gave him a good rinsing of the mouth when she heard it, though that doesn't mean he didn't do it behind our backs afterwards," Hana said sadly. Guruko shrunk at the omission and he couldn't help but feel even lower for it, though he supposed that was her point.

"_I actually have a good reason now," _Guruko said defensively, but his tone turned serious as Hana gave him a dark look. _"I need you to inform the Hokage on a few things I witnessed while with Naruto." _Hana paid rapt attention as Guruko told her everything while she worked on his leg and rewrap it in new cast, her face paling considerable as he neared the end. She collapsed in her chair, hands shaking as Guruko finally ended with talking about the blonde's break down that morning. "God… oh God." Hana whispered. Guruko nodded in agreement.

"_Whoever that women is she seems to have him trapped in something." _Guruko said thoughtfully, _"And Naruto wants nothing to do with it." _Hana appeared deeply distraught by the news. "He's even younger than Kiba though," She whispered, Guruko couldn't say anything to that so he just ignored it. _"I want Naruto to continue to think I can't speak, as long as he believes that then he won't attempt to hide anything from me," _Guruko said as he tested out how much weight he could get away with putting on his leg. For a moment Guruko wasn't sure if the young women before him heard, but she eventually nodded in understanding.

Hana stood up, carefully picking Guruko up and placing him on the ground. "Don't worry, I'll inform the Hokage immediately. Now, you'll be able to at least limp around without any pain." Hana said as she walked down the hall toward the backyard. _"That doesn't mean I want to you know," _Guruko muttered just loud enough for Hana to hear as he limped after her. Normally she would have burst out laughing but as the circumstances were glum she just gave him a weak smile.

As they neared the backyard they heard Naruto and Kiba talking. "…totally just thought they were paint like Chouji's swirls! You gotta tell me how you got them!" Kiba's loud voice shouted out. "Kiba will you stop it?!" Naruto asked irritably. "Who'd you get to tattoo them on at your age?" Kiba asked incredulously. "I… they… they're not tattoo's." Naruto said overly loud in indignation. "Come on! They so are too! I promise I won't tell anyone!" Kiba said loudly. Guruko and Hana limped/walked into the backyard to find Kiba leaning into Naruto's face, poking his possession marks, the blonde leaning back in his seated position on the ground, an incredibly uncomfortable look on his face. "Kiba! Don't be rude! Back up immediately!" Hana snarled out.

Now what Kiba was doing in no way warranted a snarl but unfortunately he'd picked the wrong time to antagonize the blonde who'd just been the topic of discussion. Kiba backed up as if he'd been burned, giving his sister the hurt puppy dog eyes to which she stared back indifferently. Akamaru, who'd previously been lying down content to watch the scene in amusement, got up to stand beside his partner.

Guruko couldn't help but wince sympathetically in Naruto's direction. He knew that the blonde's possession marks was a sensitive subject because they declared to the world that he was a Jinchuuriki. On top of that the six whisker marks on his cheeks happened to be incredibly sensitive to touch, like a cat's whiskers, he'd found it out when he'd first meet the blonde and Bull licked his face. Naruto flinched back involuntarily before he burst out laughing insanely loud and long. It took him several minutes to calm down and many strange looks from the blonde's teammates.

After which Naruto quietly explained to the dogs that depending on what emotion the person, or in this case animal, are feeling when they touch his possession marks he gains an explosion of those very emotions within him. Since Bull had been extremely excited to meet the team and over-all happy and those emotions were multiplied when he'd licked the blonde, Naruto had been overcome with an unbearable amount of happiness.

Naruto looked downright relieved from the halt of Kiba's poking to his possession marks. His hand unconsciously brushing against them for a moment before the appendix dropped back to his side. Guruko watched Hana carefully, afraid the young women would let her emotions overwhelm her judgment about letting Naruto now that she knew, she kept her cool though. "Uzumaki-kun, Guruko is good to go, I'll expect you back here in a week for his next check up," Hana said sweetly if not a little sternly, as if the blonde would suddenly decide to disappear. Naruto nodded, clearly confused by the strange tone the young women spoke to him with. Kiba, for what it was worth, appeared to be pouting and muttering under his breath.

Guruko limped over to the blonde who, without even thinking about it, picked the dog up into his arms and adjusting him so that the head band around the dog's neck didn't bite into his chest. Guruko wagged his tail, Hana shook her head at him, Kiba was still muttering in the background. "You know our mother is out of town all week," Hana spoke up thoughtfully, "me and my brother could use your guy's company for dinner tonight if your willing. While our clan is big, we prefer to eat with only our inner family and pact mates so dinner will be lonely." Kiba gaped at his sister, completely taken by shock, since when did she invite someone whose not datable to eat dinner with them besides his team? Naruto, on the other hand, positively glowed in embarrassed pleasure. "We would love to!" Naruto said, hands practically squeezing Guruko's guts out. Guruko gasped for air, whining pathetically in the blonde's arms. "Oops, sorry Guruko," Naruto said sincerely when he realized what he was doing. Hana laughed heartily as she began to walk toward the Inuzuka's kitchen. "Good! Then be here by four-thirty tonight!" Hana yelled back over her shoulder.

"It must be that time of the month," Kiba muttered to himself, as if that could be the only explanation. Kiba turned to Naruto and shrugged. "Sorry she dragged you into coming man, I know you probably got better things to do." Kiba said apologetically. The natural smile on Naruto's face became a bit strained at the comment, but this went unnoticed by both Kiba and Guruko. "It sounds like a lot of fun," Naruto said hesitantly. Kiba snorted.

"Yeah, listening to her talk about her current heart break boyfriend is a real blast." Kiba said sarcastically. Naruto's smile strained a little more. "It can't be all that bad," Naruto said cheerfully. Kiba laughed, gasping for air slightly and wiping away a fake tear. The brunette clamped a hand onto Naruto's shoulder as he gained control of his breathing. "Seriously man, it's scary, I'd run away in terror if I were you," Kiba advised, "I'll see you later."

Naruto walked slowly back towards the apartment with a tight smile on his face, obviously having a much more difficult time keeping it up than on the way to the Inuzuka compound, something that took Guruko nearly the whole way there to notice. At one point he'd had to… excuse himself for a potty brake in the woods and when he'd returned it was to catch a small glimpse of a frown fighting for space on the blonde's lips. When they finally entered the apartment Naruto finally let the frown win and sat dejectedly on his bed, letting Guruko move off his lap to turn and stare at the blonde with a questioning look. When the blonde remained silent Guruko nudged his hand atop his head, where Naruto began to scratch him. Naruto peered over at the dog sadly. "I don't think I should go," Naruto said quietly. Guruko cocked his head, startled. _'What?! Why_ ?!' Guruko thought bewildered. It was several long moments before Naruto spoke again.

"He seemed mad, didn't he?" Naruto half asked the dog half asked himself. "About Hana-San inviting me to eat dinner with them. I thought after the Chuunin Exams that Kiba could at least stand me…" Naruto trailed off, "But even if I told Hana-san I would go, maybe I shouldn't… Kiba did say he didn't want me to come and he's the one I've known for years… But I already told her I would…" Naruto said, falling into silence for several minutes at each pause.

Guruko stared at him (it seemed he was doing an awful lot of that lately) in surprise. It was becoming increasingly difficult to place this blonde, this hesitant, thoughtful, reflective and sad blonde, into the same image as the overconfident, loud, happy and brash preteen that belonged to team 7. Did Naruto always look at conversations in such a negative light? Guruko tugged at Naruto's sleeve, forcing the blonde to look at him, before nodding his head vigorously up and down to confirm that Naruto needed to go.. _'You should definitely go, it will be good for you.' _Guruko thought. Naruto watched his actions, letting the dogs message sink in. "Are you sure? I mean, Kiba…" Naruto trailed off as Guruko nodded again, though this time slower.

Naruto began to ring his hands nervously as he stood up and started pulling random things out of places. After a few minutes of watching him in amusement Guruko saw Naruto sit in the middle of his room, an expression of being utterly lost adorning his face. Truthfully the scene was adorable, like a toddler that was told to look for their teddy in their room when it was sitting on the kitchen counter. "What am I suppose to do?" Naruto asked out loud. Guruko raised an eyebrow at the blonde. Naruto looked at Guruko and sighed. "Should I cook some rice to bring over? Should I try to find something nice to wear? Is there something I'm suppose to do before hand? No ones ever invited me to spend time with them before." Naruto said, by now a complete nervous wreck.

That sent Guruko for a loop. Surely, surely Kakashi at least had asked the blonde to spend time with him, for lunch or to teach him something or just to spend the afternoon with the blonde. He had to of at some point, especially since Guruko knew for a fact that Kakashi invited Sakura several times to lunch to discuss Genjutsu and techniques related to it in some way and spent nearly a month solely with Sasuke when training him for the Chuunin final exam. What about the picnic they'd… Right. That was Naruto's idea, he'd suggested it and practically forced the others to agree to it. "Damn it," Naruto cursed as he sat down on the bed again, "I wish you could talk back."

Naruto brought his knees up to his chest and laid his head on them. "I'll… I'll just make some special rice and then I'll… I'll wear my head band around my neck and leave my jacket and weapons at home." Naruto muttered to himself. "And hope that I'm not screwing something up again." Guruko was sorely tempted to say something but refrained himself. It all caused the dog to wonder though, was this how Naruto made decisions when he didn't know what was socially acceptable? When he simply didn't know something period?

"You think Sasuke and Sakura will be angry with me for not showing up today?" Naruto asked as he let his legs fall into an Indian style before him. Guruko snorted. Naruto was doing it again. He'd asked a question and then spend the next hour or so answering it without even the slightest worry about whether anyone heard him or not. Naruto got off the bed and started picking up laundry. "I bet I know exactly what they'd say," Naruto told Guruko who for the most part ignored him, curling into a ball to rest. "I bet they only waited there for a few minutes after we're suppose to meet before Sakura started screaming about how much of an idiot I am, and that she'll knock some sense into me when I finally show up." Naruto said as he moved to dump a small pile of clothes into an old broken hamper.

"When I don't show up she'll huff and complain to Sasuke about how annoying I am." Naruto got out a large tin bucket from the closet, the length nearly three times his size and height reaching his waist. "Then Sasuke will suggest that they just get started and that 'the Dobe' would pay later." Naruto shouted out as he pulled it into the bathroom and began to fill it to the brim with warm water.

"Then when it came time for missions they'll complain about me again before picking out ones that wouldn't require a great deal of hard labor. I bet you a hundred dollars that both of them hate hard labor outside of training. They're only are willing to get tough one's every day 'cause my shadow clones make up for so much of the work." Naruto huffed out as he pulled the large bucket of warm water into the middle of the floor. Naruto then poured soup into the water, missing the soup into the water with his arm. "Right now they're most likely in the middle of doing those missions and will more than likely to end it early today," Naruto told Guruko.

"Then tomorrow when I show up… they'll start yelling and stuff. Sakura will probably hit me on the head for 'being an idiot.'" As Naruto said this his arm slowed down in it's stirring, eyes focused on the swirling water. Naruto stood up and picked the hamper up, dumping all the clothes inside and smashing it down under the surface with his hand. Naruto burst out laughing as he brought out a long rectangle like piece of metal that looked like a shutter from a window and put it in the water as well, holding the edge of it out with one hand. "I bet they won't even ask me why I never showed up too, it won't even cross their minds, I bet that with every penny I've got that they won't." Naruto said with another laugh. The dog shivered. It wasn't funny in the least and Guruko hated to admit it but… Naruto was probably right.

Naruto's hands shook a bit as he dragged a pair of pants across the metal piece, up and down in a rhythmic fashion. "I gotta admit, I know it's stupid, but I gotta admit I… I've been telling myself something over and over since I got on team 7." Naruto said in a softer voice as he continued to do laundry. Guruko listened intently and if not for the fact that he was a dog with better than average hearing he would have missed it. "I told myself that they'd come for me if something bad happened. It helped me sleep at night, you know? I know it's stupid and I shouldn't have, but… I wanted them to knock on my door this morning to see if I was okay. I know that's stupid and selfish." Naruto said with a shaky breath. He continued on to the next piece of clothing.

"That was horrible of me… I shouldn't have wanted that. It would have just caused problems." Naruto scrubbed harshly at a poor shirt. "I just wish… sometimes I just want them…" Naruto stopped his movements and stared into the slightly mucky water beneath him. "Sometimes I pretend that they care as much about me as I do them." Naruto finally whispered. Guruko flinched.

Naruto was scarily quiet after that. He finished the laundry and then preceded to open his window and hang them out to dry. Without another word, Naruto retreated into the bathroom; Guruko couldn't help but feel an air of foreboding within the little home- one that sent shivers through his small body. Something seemed incredibly off but the dog quietly settled down none the less for the long wait as the shower could be heard turning on.

* * *

Guruko was scared shitless. Naruto reemerged from the bathroom in an incredibly happy state. He gave the dog a wide grin and talked animatedly about some mission or other while he took special care to cook the white rice, adding a good deal of precious herbs for flavor. Something he didn't do for his own food except for very special occasions, but because they were going to the Inuzuka's it was worth it. The blonde hummed a tune Guruko didn't recognize as he went about the kitchen, adding this and that to the pot. Strangely enough Naruto came out of the bathroom wearing his jacket, the sleeves pulled down all the way when normally Naruto kept them rolled up to the middle of his forearm to keep them out of the way when he sparred with his team, the sight of the article of clothing touching his fingertips looked strange and caused the blonde to appear even smaller than normal.

Guruko stared at the blonde wearily. The emotional 180's the preteen was pulling on him today was wearing the dog out. He wasn't sure if Naruto was merely trying to hide how upset he was or if he was genuinely excited about going. While Guruko realized over the past few days that most of smiles the blonde wore were fake and strained that in no way meant that he could tell the difference between a real smile and a fake one. Naruto was just too good at his act, and if Guruko didn't see the evident change, the dog would never have been able to pick up on the fact that Naruto was faking it in the least.

After placing the rice in one of the few containers he owned and getting dressed, Naruto stood in front of the mirror with Guruko beside him. Naruto grinned cheekily down at the dog, "So how do I look?" Naruto asked. Guruko barked happily and wagged his tail. Just as Naruto mumbled earlier he indeed wore his headband around his neck along with a long sleeved black shirt and his orange pants. "Ah, your just saying that," Naruto said teasingly as he tugged at a strand of hair. Naruto's bangs, which had grown quite a bit and needed to be cut, fell slightly into his eyes giving him a shaggy appearance. Naruto mumbled something incoherently as he pushed them behind his ear, a few strands still slipping away and back, framing his face nicely.

Naruto bent down in front of Guruko and gently fixed the dog's slightly rumbled headband, Guruko thanking him by licking his face. "Hey, I got a deal for you," Naruto whispered to the dog as if what he had to say was an evil secret. "If I totally embarrass myself or I'm doing something wrong and I don't know it pretend your having a horrible stomach ache so that we can go home, okay?" Naruto asked.

Guruko snickered in amusement but once more licked Naruto to confirm that he would indeed bail him out if the need arrived. Naruto sighed in relief and patted Guruko gratefully on the head. The dog leaned into the touch without hesitation. It was then that Guruko realized that Naruto was quickly becoming his best friend. Who would have thought that it could happen so much as a week ago?

In the pack Pakkun was Kakashi's best pack mate. Of course each of the dog's held a special place in the retired Anbu's heart and spent a great deal of time with each but the fact still remained that Pakkun was the oldest and strongest of bonds among the dogs. Kakashi was his pack mate and as far as he was concerned the alpha male but Naruto was becoming a pack mate at an astounding speed as well, how would he handle it when he had to go back at the end of the month to Kakashi? It was an unrealistic idea that he could take Naruto with him like a lost and alone pup. On the other hand, he couldn't stay with Naruto because Kakashi needed him for the numerous and dangerous missions assigned to him. Even with this month of missions, the man was taking a risk by leaving behind three of his dogs, especially Pakkun who was the best tracker. Guruko whined at the thought.

"Hey are you okay buddy?" Naruto asked as he continued to scratch behind the dog's ear. The movement of the blonde's hand stopped. "You didn't hit your head did you? I'm not hurting you by scratching you am I?" Naruto asked softly. Guruko shook his head at the mother hen of a shinobi above him. Seriously, for a kid that had so many problems himself, he sure as hell worried a lot about others; it was a sadistic irony that not many cared if the kid dropped dead. Guruko yipped happily and tugged at Naruto's arm playfully, Naruto laughed and scratched his head in just the right spot, making the dog sigh contentedly. "We should get going. Its already a little past four and it takes ten minutes to walk over there." Naruto said as he picked the dog up and grabbed the shoulder bag with the container of rice in it.

* * *

A nervous Naruto was truly an adorable thing. All the way to the Inuzuka compound, Naruto blushed horribly and would repeatedly be peering backwards as if looking for an escape route. So distracted was he that Naruto didn't even appear to hear any of the normal whispers that followed the blonde everywhere he went. Guruko periodically glared at anyone who so much as dared to look at his friend wrong, but didn't growl for fear of pulling Naruto's attention to the people around him instead of the dinner ahead of him. If Kiba so much as insulted Naruto in any way he swore the kid would lose a limb.

When they finally arrived at the gates and followed the path to the front door, Naruto looked as if he would have a heart attack as he hesitantly knocked. Words from earlier that day floated into Guruko's mind as he gazed up at Naruto in concern. _"No ones ever invited me to spend time with them before."_ Guruko felt his chest tighten a little. If that was really the truth then Naruto was probably petrified then. Guruko shifted in the blonde's arms and nudged his nose up to touch Naruto's cheek, Naruto couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter as the cold nose tickled him, the action causing the blonde to relax a great deal. Naruto peered down at the dog in his arms and smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks."

The door opened causing Naruto's head to snap up and his back to straiten a bit unconsciously. Hana Inuzuka stood there, a warm smile spreading on her face as saw Naruto. "Uzumaki-kun, I'm so happy you're here! Come on in!" Hana said as she pulled the door fully open. Naruto's blush turned scarlet once more at the honorific, still taken by surprise that anyone would use it in reference to him. Naruto walked in and followed Hana into the dining room to find quite the surprise. Kiba sat at the table with Shino and Hinata on either side of him. The table seated six leaving the other side empty.

Naruto took a seat directed across from Kiba, feeling extremely awkward to the fact that it was three facing one, increasing the empty hollow spot in his stomach telling him he shouldn't be here. Guruko felt Naruto's discomfort rolling off of him and cringed at the smile the blonde wore. Kiba would lose a leg later that was for sure, the young Inuzuka managed to cause Naruto a great deal of hurt simply by accident. It was utterly ridiculous how completely unwelcoming this accidental arrangement managed to appear and Guruko knew for a fact that Naruto was taking it the wrong way.

"Um Naruto," Kiba said scratching his cheek in embarrassment. "my sister's boyfriends gonna be here any minute and I'm sure that she'd like to sit by him so…" The blush from before came back full force as Naruto realized his mistake in taking the middle seat, it would remain a permanent fixture throughout the whole meal. _'Both legs,' _Guruko thought heatedly, _'he's going to lose both legs.' _"Sorry!" Naruto cried out as he immediately moved over and sat in front of Hinata who seemed to be competing with him for blush of the year. Hana came back into the room and set down a large pot roast in the middle of the table. She peered over at a fuming Guruko and a blushing Naruto and then stared at Kiba with a suspicious glare before turning back to Naruto. She tapped the blonde on the shoulder before pointing to Guruko. "Our dogs usually eat beside us on the floor, just cause its easier for each of us to eat that way." Hana said gently. Naruto nodded before hesitantly putting the dog on the ground. Guruko huffing and grumbling under his breath to the point it sounded like growling.

"So what you been up to lately Naruto?" Kiba asked with a big grin as he attempted to pull a piece of pork from the dish, his hand was thwarted by a slap from Hana and a stern threat of death if he so much as touch it. "Um… pretty much just a lot of work," Naruto said, trying not to talk too much since he didn't want to annoy anyone. "What about you guys?" Naruto asked. Kiba's grin widened as he went into a tale about a B-Rank mission involving gathering information on an old merchant who'd been suspected of dealing in drugs. Turned out it was the guy's son and the old merchant was just trying to cover it up after discovering it two months back. Every time Kiba's boasting would get out of hand Shino would interject to inform him and explain the correct telling of the event. Kiba would huff and Hinata would giggle at their antics.

By the time Kiba finished Hana's boyfriend arrived, a hefty young Chuunin with brown hair and blue eyes, along with the food on the table. It took a tug from Guruko to remember the food he brought as well, the dog giving him a look of bemusement. Naruto stuck his tongue out at him as he pulled out the container of rice. "What's that?" Kiba asked as he placed a rather large piece of meat onto his plate. "Kiba I want you to eat your vegetables and bread too," Hana called out threatening. "Yes Mom," Kiba replied sarcastically before turning back to Naruto. "Just some rice I cooked to bring over," Naruto said as he placed it on the table and opened the lid. The special herb rice filled the room with a delicious aroma as the grin on Kiba's face widened, if that were possible.

"Dude, you know how to cook?" Kiba asked in astonishment. Under the table Hana kicked him hard causing Kiba to gasp in pain. Naruto gave a dry laugh. "Since I was five," Naruto answered with a rueful grin of his own. Kiba's head sunk guiltily having forgotten Naruto was an orphan for a moment. "So who taught you how to cook," Kiba asked, this time calmer and with curiosity. "The old man gave me some tips but for the most part I just burnt my self or the food till I learned." Naruto answered as he put some food on his plate. Naruto looked up from his plate when all he heard was silence to find that everyone at the table was staring at him.

"What?" Naruto asked, wondering if he messed something up. "Wasn't there anyone at the orphanage to help you?" Shino asked in his quiet but steel like voice. "Haven't been in an orphanage since I was three," Naruto said with a shrug. "Went to a couple foster homes but always got taken out of them after a few months and then when I was four I was put in an apartment on my own and Chuunin checking up on me every few hours till I was six." Naruto said before taking a bite of his food.

Naruto looked down as he heard Guruko growling angrily beneath him, the blonde shook his head as he bent down to pat the dog softly. When he looked back up it was to find that they were still staring at him. "What?" Naruto asked again, this time sure that he'd said something wrong. Hinata took in a quick breath as tears pricked at her eyes. "Man… that's really fucked up." Kiba said quietly. Shino nodded his head in agreement. "I was under the impression that Konoha orphans were better taken care than that," Shino said, a hint of anger in his voice. Naruto shrugged, not at all willing to admit that they probably were better taken care of, that it was just that he was someone that no one wanted; that the foster homes he lived in were run by adults that hated him and wanted him to die. He'd actually lightened up the circumstances quite a bit for their sake and hadn't expected such a reaction with the cleaned up version.

He never mentioned that he'd been forcibly taken away from those homes due to abuse or that he'd once been locked up in a room for two months in one home with a single meal a day brought up to him. He didn't mention that the Hokage executed those found guilty of the said abuse or that the Hokage put him up in an apartment as a last resort and a way to get Naruto away from any who would harm him.

Guruko muttered darkly under his breath at the subdued table. Maybe he should pretend he had a stomachache? Surely this was one of the situations Naruto wanted to get away from. "So Naruto, how's your team doing?" Hana asked, leaning her elbows on the table and smiling at the blonde. Guruko sighed in relief.

"Well, Sakura is working on developing her Taijutsu and weapons aim, her birthdays in a week and a half and shell be fourteen, all around she's doing well. Kaka sensei's working on her Genjutsu with her as well. Sasuke's learning how to better control his Sharingan with Kaka-sensei and he's teaching him some advanced lightning techniques. Sasuke just got out of the hospital two weeks ago from our mission to the Land of Snow, so at the moment he's doing some lighter things since Kaka sensei's not here right now. Kaka-sensei's been doing a lot of high rank missions lately to make up for the lost ANBU from the Sound/Sand invasion so I haven't really seen him that much lately." Naruto explained. Guruko nodded his head in agreement, he could definitely attest to that.

"So what's Kakashi teaching you?" Kiba asked with a mouth full of pork. Guruko's ears perked up, he too was fairly curious. Naruto chewed slowly, to Guruko it seemed deliberately slow. "Actually Ero-sennin's been taking over teaching me," Naruto said slowly. "He's been having me practice my summoning and producing the Rasengan faster. What about you guys?" Naruto asked. Guruko's ears went flat against his head at the explanation. Jiraiya left nearly four weeks ago for one of his 'information gathering' trips and wouldn't be back for another week. Naruto just lied again. Surely Kakashi had been helping Naruto with _something_. Guruko pulled at Naruto's sleeve and growled a little, letting the blonde know he knew he'd just lied. Naruto stroked the dog's head, refusing to make eye contact with him and gently tugging his slightly wet sleeve from Guruko's mouth.

With that topic changer Kiba went into an animated speech about team 8's intense training regimen and his own personal newly learned clan jutsu. Naruto smiled and listened intently the whole time. After which it was time to go home. Hana thanked him for the 'delicious' rice and even asked him for the recipe which Naruto wrote down for her while blushing. Team 7 hated his cooking after all. As Naruto was dong this Guruko heard Kiba and Shino talking on the couch in the living room. "Was it just me or did Naruto remind you of someone all during dinner?" Kiba asked as he stretched his hands over his head and cracked his neck.

"Yes, he showed a great many characteristics leaning toward a certain teammate." Shino agreed. Kiba snorted. "No way, he wasn't acting like you at all," Kiba said. Shino nodded his head in agreement. "That is true considering I was referring to Hinata-san and not myself." Shino said patiently, far used to Kiba's sometimes slow uptake on things. It took Kiba a few seconds to comprehend what Shino said before he burst out laughing. "It's so true!" Kiba crowed out, holding his ribs. "Did you see how hard he was blushing all through dinner? And, and how he kept his head down almost the entire time? Hahahaha, I never thought I'd ever say those two were similar at all! Their like night and day for god's sake." Kiba said, howling out in laughter.

Kiba stopped laughing abruptly and sat up strait, a mischievous smirk gaining ground across his lips. "I'll be right back, don't let Naruto go anywhere yet!" Kiba told Shino as he ran off to his room. Not long passed before he came clambering downstairs with a camera in hand. "Hinata, can you come here for a minute?" Kiba shouted out. The petite girl peeked her head from around the corner of the kitchen in confusion before walking into the living room. Guruko cocked an eyebrow at them, wondering what Kiba planned to do. "Hey, Hinata, take your jacket off for a moment okay?" Kiba asked hurriedly. "Wh-wh-what?!" Hinata eeped, the shy girl turning bright red.

"I want to take a picture of you and Naruto standing beside each other so I got proof to show the others," Kiba half explained excitedly. "Wh-wh-what?" Hinata eeped again, going a shade redder than before, nearly fainting on the spot. Shino sighed tiredly beside Kiba. "Kiba noticed that Naruto has been acting out of character all through dinner in a fashion that reminds us of you. He wants to take a picture of you and Naruto to better compare and at the moment Naruto is not wearing his jacket." Shino said slowly and carefully, understanding Hinata's reaction and attempting to help the poor girl out. "Oohh, if Naruto-kun's alright with it." Hinata said, fighting down her blush without success.

"Perfect," Kiba shouted triumphantly. "Naruto can you come here for a moment?" Guruko watched, attempting to suppress a snicker as Naruto finished up writing the recipe and walked into the living room, his bangs falling into his face again, forcing him to shove them behind his ear. "Yeah?" Naruto asked as he came to stand in the middle of the living room and Hinata pulled off her jacket. Kiba pointed towards a blushing Hinata.

"Go stand by Hinata so I can take your guy's picture." Kiba commanded. Naruto stared at him in bewilderment and asked, "Wh-wh-what?" To this Kiba burst out laughing hysterically, holding his stomach as if it would bust. "They even had… hahhahaha… the same reaction!" Kiba shouted through gasps of breath. Shino adjusted his glasses before speaking. "It is a natural reaction for anybody with the way that you throw things out there."

"Bah, whatever, Naruto just go and stand by Hinata real quick!" Kiba said again. Naruto, extremely confused as to what was going on, silently complied. Naruto stood beside a blushing Hinata, who he noticed with extreme irritation was the same height as himself, but none the less smiled at her. She smiled back and they turned to the camera. She with her arms in front of her, folded politely like an aristocrat while he had his arms behind him, his body bent forward somewhat like a nervous child. Both with a small smile on their faces and light blushes on their cheeks. Both, purely coincidental, with long black sleeved shirts and headbands around their necks. Milky moon eyes to clear blue sky orbs and midnight black sky hair to bright yellow Sunkist locks. Kiba grinned like an idiot as the flash filled the room.

"I am so showing this to everyone!" Kiba shouted maniacally. Hinata blushed while Naruto tilted his head in clear confusion. He turned to Hinata questioningly. "I don't get it." Naruto said bluntly. Hinata sighed and shrugged, truthfully not understanding the whole thing herself. There was another flash of the camera and both blinked rapidly to recover from it, unprepared this time. "That one was just for the looks on your faces," Kiba said with a snicker. From his position on the floor Guruko lot out a barking whine that sounded suspiciously like giggling.

* * *

On their way home, Guruko reminded Naruto that he owed the dog an explanation by tugging on his shirt again. When Naruto continued to ignore him Guruko increasingly became rougher with his tugs till a tiny rip formed on the sleeve of one of Naruto's shirts. "Guruko," Naruto said irritably, "Don't do that, I already don't have a lot of clothes I don't need you tearing the one's I do have apart." Guruko growled at him a little, not submitting this time. Naruto sighed tiredly. "Look, Kaka-sensei's just been too busy lately, okay? He hasn't had time to train me or help me. And Jiraiya did leave me with instructions to practice those things before he left last month." Naruto said softly. "I've got Ero-Sennin so of course Kaka sensei's gonna choose to help Sasuke and Sakura instead of me."

"Besides, I take up a lot more time than the others cause… cause their a lot smarter than me. They get stuff faster so its easy for Kaka sensei to teach them something quick and then go on another mission. I understand he doesn't have time to show me something, I know he gets frustrated when he's explaining stuff to me. Not as if it's the first time I've been told I'm too stupid to teach…" Naruto stopped in his tracks as Guruko stared up at him in shock.

"I've had plenty of teachers tell me that when I asked for help… He never said that exactly but… I'm not so stupid that I can't take a hint. I understand that, I don't mind, it's no big deal." Never the less, Naruto hugged Guruko tightly against him the whole way home, the dog would swear later that he could feel the crack in Naruto's heart the entire time growing a little bigger.

Beta's Note (BN): That… That was so heart-wrenching. I feel so sorry for poor, poor Naruto! Anyway, this is the Beta's Note corner! It's here for your's truly, The Epitome of Eccentricity, to make his own note for the readers to enjoy. I have to say, I am honored to be able to Beta this story, and if you find any errors, please put it in the review or PM The Epitome of Eccentricity so I can change it for future chapters. Be sure to tell Windy here how awesome she is, and give constructive criticism!


	4. Team 7's complex relationship

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, however, if he was a real life person I would probably stalk him… Mwahhahahaha

This is a Late Christmas present for my fans. **My lab top got smashed **and it took me forever to get a new one and transfer what files I could, so sorry its late. This particular chapter is merely a full length and total explanation of Naruto's point of view for the story. Don't be surprised if it springs up in one of my longer stories cause I worked hard to perfect how I believe Naruto views everything.

A little darker than the manga but Kishimoto implies so much and never fully explains Naruto's side of the story despite the fact that he's the main character. Let's face it: 1) Every other characters views are explained better and fuller and 2) Kishimoto always reveals a much darker and far more self doubting side of Naruto the few occasions that Naruto's thoughts are revealed (A.K.A Naruto and Gaara in hospital scene, Naruto-Hinata conversation, Naruto vs. Gaara, Naruto training with Jiraiya and Naruto vs. Sasuke) These are just before the trip don't get me started on after. I sincerely believe that Naruto is a much more reflective and thoughtful character than most people believe. I hate the arcs because they make him look so much stupider than anything Kishimoto ever did and I hate that a good deal of fan fiction writers depict him as such a happy go lucky no cares and stupid as fuck character. I think Kishimoto takes the others contempt at Naruto's supposed stupidity much too far. I'm rambling now though so I'll let you read and see if you think I got it right and if you don't well… I like my Naruto better than your Naruto.

**The story section with Sakura is called dinner and wasn't written by me but rather an author, ****Written by Kichi Hisake and edited/added on/ tweaked by Windschild8178.**** The author said I could use it as long as I gave them credit for it. Also, The Epitome of Eccentricity is betaing this for ol' Windy here!**

Chapter 4: Team 7's complex relationship

A/N This is almost entirely in Naruto's perspective and Kakashi never gets a scene... I did that purosely. Truth be told I've always thought Kakashi to be a bit naive when it comes to Naruto. I don't think the man ever realized or had a clue how much the things he did could hurt his student. So that's how I'm going to protray him.

Kakashi and Naruto

There was a month left before the Chuunin exams begun and Naruto wanted to ask Kakashi a favor. There was something he desperately wanted to start learning and he needed the Jounin help. Naruto waited till Sasuke and Sakura were out of ear shot before he approached the Jounin, excited that he would finally be able to start learning _that _Taijutsu style. "Kaka-sensei?" Naruto asked hesitantly as the silver haired man started walking away. "Hm?" Kakashi asked as he peered down at his smallest student. "There's something that I've been really wanting to learn for a while now but its something I need a lot of help with. It's a Taijutsu style. I've got the instructions and everything. Do you think…" Kakashi raised his hand up to silence the blonde. "Before you even think about another style I want you to go to Iruka and get him to re-teach you the basic academy style. I'm sorry to say this but your form is sloppy Naruto." Naruto flinched but nodded. "Then can't you show me the forms and I'll practice them?" Naruto asked. Kakashi considered it before shaking his head. "I haven't even seen the academy version for years. I think Iruka would really be a better teacher for this." Naruto reluctantly nodded before he left to ask Iruka for help.

Iruka happily agreed to help him with his form and so Naruto spent every single morning from 6 to 9 and after the academy let out from 4 to 5 with Iruka, painstakingly practicing the form over and over, and then sparring with the Chuunin for two full weeks. Iruka was angry to find out that it was Mizuke's fault for teaching Naruto the wrong forms, the same man who later tried to kill Naruto and himself the night of graduation, and exceedingly proud that when shown the right forms Naruto easily picked them up. Iruka commented that, "you would have gone so far in the academy if not for the teachers and their hatred." Naruto preceded to blush as Iruka tussled his hair and dragged him to the ramen stand for dinner.

When Naruto attempted to show Kakashi his improvement the man simply waved him off thinking that Naruto could never have improved so much in just two weeks and that it was the boys usual boastful nature. Naruto didn't go back to ask Iruka for help again, fearing that if he asked too much of the Chuunin the man would become annoyed with him and wouldn't want to spend time with him any more. An irrational fear seeing that the man saw him as a little brother but years of hatred from everyone around him caused Naruto to be quite negative in the expectations of others.

So Naruto practiced his forms for hours on his own whenever he had free time. A week later after their team did a series of easy but tedious missions Naruto went to look for their sensei as they started individual training. He spotted Kakashi speaking with Sakura several dozen yards away, his hearing being far better than a normal human heard the conversation long before he got there.

"…do you think you could teach me some of your Taijutsu sensei? I know it will take a while to learn but I'd like to start."

"Alright. Why don't we start tomorrow morning bright and early? I warn you though it will require a lot of work. Your going to have to increase your chakra reserves a great deal so I want you to work on the water walking exercise I taught you a few days ago for long periods of time. I think you'll do well with this taijutsu though and I think I'll start you on a few more advance Genjutsu illusions as well. Practicing with them will increase your reserves almost as fast as the water walking technique."

Naruto stopped in his tracks, deeply hurt and turned around to head back to his personal spot. Naruto spent the late afternoon running up trees, trying to improve his chakra control on his own and ignore the ache that once more attacked him. Kakashi automatically assumed Sakura ready just because the girl asked. Naruto knew that Kakashi already taught Sasuke and Sakura the water walking technique and asked shortly after they'd learned it if he would teach him. Kakashi merely said that he thought Naruto would do better by sticking to the tree climbing exercise a bit longer… nearly a month ago. Naruto could stay attached upside down to a branch for an entire day now without missing a beat. If Kakashi didn't want to teach him anything all he had to do was say so… it would hurt less instead of simply pushing him to the side all the time. He got it. He really did. He understood Kakashi didn't like him, but each time the man ruffled his hair or talk the team about team work and how they should rely and care about one another. It hurt deeply. You don't say one thing and do another. Naruto's admiration for his sensei died a little that day. It would be the last time till after the prelims that Naruto would ask the man to help with anything…

* * *

From the very beginning…

"Only the weak speak loudly. Now lets forget the dunce and start on my signal."

"You talk a big game, but your still _only Naruto_! You're a one trick pony who hasn't got what it takes to win."

Kakashi spoke harsher to him than the others…

After his speech on friendship he was left tied to the post…

Every single time he would ask for help…

"I'm a little busy right now Naruto, why don't you go ask Sakura to explain it to you?"

Any time he _needed_ help…

"Kaka sensei, I… could you please help me with…"

"Naruto, I need to get home, ask me tomorrow."

The Jounin disappeared.

"…with setting up a bank account because they won't let me in the doors."

Kakashi always spoke with praise to Sasuke and Sakura but him…

"Kaka sensei, could you teach me that genjutsu release you taught Sakura?"

"Naruto, your weapons aim needs a great deal of improvement. I want you to practice that first, I'll come check up on you and when I think you've improved enough I'll teach it to you, though your chakra control may not be good enough."

That was nearly eight months ago and Naruto was still waiting for the Jounin approval…

Naruto never asked if he'd improved though, cause he wasn't sure which hurt worse. Kakashi purposefully ignoring him or simply forgetting about him, he figured ignorance was bliss. If he pretended that Kakashi would eventually come and help it made the hurt a little less painful.

The continuous tiny jabs…

"Kaka sensei, I got you a plant for your birthday, I hope you like it. It's an Aloe plant so you can use it for wounds."

"Thank you Naruto, although I'd never imagine you'd like plants."

"Why not?"

"Well… plants require patients. Not exactly one of your best qualities."

Yet Kakashi failed to mention even once any of these 'best qualities.'

The single moment he could remember feeling an endless well of happiness involving his teacher was when Kakashi came to his window with a pile of vegetables, telling him that he should maintain a better diet than Ramen. The fact that he cared enough to do that for him made Naruto want to burst with joy…

It still didn't cover up the hurt of his sensei always calling him stupid though…

"Huh, Naruto is that a book?"

"Mmhm."

"What about?"

"Basics of making medicine."

"…You want me to help you get something… simpler? It might be easier for you to understand."

Naruto decided that day that he wouldn't ever mention that he'd already read it three times, that he'd just been reviewing it and read more advanced medicine books all the time. He loved working with plants and creating medicine from them, he considered himself very good at it and feared what the Jounin would say or think if he ever found out. The sting from that comment itself still caused him to triple check all ingredients before he would make any medicine with them.

Even when both Sasuke and Naruto made it to the finals of the Chuunin exam…

"I found someone who will look after your training."

"Why? I want you Kaka sensei!"

"I've got some business to take care of so… _I don't have the time to look after you_."

"I know your planning to train Sasuke."

"Now, now don't say that… Because I've found a teacher for you whose much more reliable than me."

"..."

"Well, Naruto, of the three in team 7 you're the one with the worst basic skills… Have him teach it to you thoroughly this time."

Kakashi managed to not only push him off on another teacher but insult him by saying that the only reason he ever did anything right was due to his stamina… that training him meant nothing more to him than a babysitting job.

During the finals of the Chuunin Exam Kakashi refused to listen to him when he warned against Gaara, throwing his words away as if they meant nothing, like he was just a burden.

"Master! Please stop this match right away! Gaara, he lives to kill others… If they keep going then Sasuke'll die!"

"You'll be quiet and watch him… you'll be surprised."

And then sent him, Sakura and Shikamaru after Sasuke when Kakashi realized his mistake. He would never apologize to Naruto for that, never thank Naruto for saving them from Gaara…

Even after all that he'd accomplished… even though he'd accomplished just as much as Sasuke… even though Kakashi taught Sasuke just as deadly a technique… even though Sasuke fought him just as hard… Kakashi underestimated his hearing ability…

"Were you the one that taught Naruto that technique? I feel that Naruto is still too young to be able to control that level of a technique. In the worst-case scenario it could have killed Sasuke… Even if it was for his own protection, teaching Naruto that technique was still…"

That, Naruto thought, hurt worse than anything. His sensei considered him to be too stupid to handle it… too immature… too beneath Sasuke. Sasuke, the perfect student… and him the imbecile and worthless student not good enough to breath their air. Kakashi, Naruto knew, would always be considered one of his special people but… he'd always known that he wasn't considered one of his teacher's special people. He just always tried to ignore the fact and keep on smiling, it was okay, he told himself because he never considered himself to be good enough for such a thing either.

Sasuke and Naruto

Sasuke Uchiha was in a foul mood. All day it was one bad thing after another. First the water pipes burst leaving his shower to suddenly turn cold. Then he'd managed to trip on his way to school and hit his head… hard. This left him with a rather horrible headache all day long. Unfortunately that only started it all. All day, every single minute of it, those screaming girls shrieked in his ear causing the headache to worsen and grate on his nerves. Next, while enduring the headache and girls, Kurama sensei thought it would be wonderful to hold a test. Normally he wouldn't mind, he knew all the material, but the estimations and formations it quizzed on seemed ten times harder to answer today. And then after all that he'd been forced to endure an entire hour after school let out for the day of Kurama sensei telling him how proud she was of his remarkable work and how she was saddened that she would no longer be his teacher in a few short weeks.

The fun didn't quite stop there though, oh no, his normal training area was flooded with Chuunin and his pier occupied by a couple of fishermen. His pier where for the past two years he'd waited exactly one hour after school let out everyday for the brief moment of peace and understanding that came when he saw Naruto. They rarely talked at the academy and never once allowed any one to think they were friends but Sasuke accepted Naruto as a fellow orphan who could relate to him. So when they saw each other each day it was a reassurance for them both. Something that simply said; 'Your not alone.' Sasuke treasured that brief moment each day and the fact that he'd been denied it royally pissed him off. He missed Naruto any way thank to Kurama sensei but his ten-year-old mind stubbornly ignored this fact as he glared down on the fisherman.

So when in the middle of the night a knocking from his front door woke him up Sasuke Uchiha was in a foul mood. Sasuke swung his body out of bed and marched to the front door in his pajamas. The sound of thunder and patter of heavy rain met his ears and did nothing to lighten his mood, if anything it made it worse. Rain always reminded him of the night after the massacre when he'd raced to his family's home. Sasuke yanked the door open and glared at whoever the bastard was that woke him up at such a god- forsaken hour.

Naruto Uzumaki stood outside his door. Drenched. Shivering. Alone. "What do you want you idiot?" Sasuke snarled out. If Sasuke hadn't been in a foul mood he most likely would have noticed the hurt look that entered the smaller boy's eyes. If he hadn't been in a foul mood he might have noticed the red tinge across whiskered cheeks that showed signs of fever. If he hadn't been in a foul mood there was the possibility that the Uchiha could have noticed the bruises around the blonde's wrists and along his arms. Unfortunately Sasuke never saw any of this. He only saw the wide grin on Naruto's face that made his irritation mount.

Sasuke watched the blonde wrap his arms around himself to keep warm and the smile drop a little bit. "Sasuke… I, um, would it be okay if…?" Naruto stuttered loudly, the sound echoing into Sasuke's bare home. "Will you just spit it out already?" Sasuke snarled. Naruto flinched, but it went unnoticed by the Uchiha. "Could I please stay the night here? Just for tonight." Naruto pleaded. Sasuke stared at him disbelievingly for several moments. The rain continued to fall, droplets sliding down chilled tanned skin and soaked material. Naruto shifted from foot to foot nervously, eyes trained on the ground. "Why in the world would I let you spend the night at my house?" Sasuke finally asked.

Naruto looked up, startled by the harshness there. Sasuke continued unaware of what he was actually doing. "We've only ever talked like what? Three times maybe? The only thing I really know about you is that you're an orphan and an idiot. Your also a prankster, how do I know you won't do something to my home while I sleep?" Sasuke asked. Naruto took a step back, the smile bigger than before. "Well… it's just… I thought… that we were friends. It's just for tonight, I'll be gone before you even wake up." Naruto said cheerily, his voice louder than need be.

"Friends?" Sasuke whispered, his brother's voice seeping into his mind. _'To obtain eyes like mine you must kill… your closest friend.' _"Who ever said," Sasuke asked quietly, "that we were friends?" Naruto took another step back, out of the shelter of the doorway and fully into the rain. He stood, smile never wavering and eyes closed, under the onslaught of the rain and Sasuke's words. "You and me? We're not friends and we will never be friends. Your nothing but a complete idiot who can't do anything right. Go home." Naruto's head bowed forward, raggedy strands of hair in front of his eyes. "Sorry…" Naruto told Sasuke cheerily, "I misunderstood. I do that a lot." Naruto's voice wavered for a bit but steadied. "Sorry. Good night Sasuke."

And with that Naruto turned and ran. Sasuke angrily slammed the door shut and went back to bed. If Sasuke hadn't been in a foul mood he might have noticed the stream of blood that seeped from the corner of Naruto's mouth. If he hadn't been in a foul mood he would have noticed the drop in temperatures that signaled the start of something worse than rain. Unfortunately, like most ten-year-olds, the world revolves around them and they hardly have time to notice when someone else is having a bad day. They don't consider the consequences either, the long time hurt a memory can carry even when its those very memories that haunt their own mind. The ten year old did notice though, when Naruto stopped walking by the pier.

Naruto always had known that Sasuke was alone and used to be glad that he'd found someone like himself. He was happy, he wanted to get to know Sasuke right away… but it wasn't so simple. Sasuke was the most popular student in the school, he could do anything and everyone always loved him. Naruto knew that they were too different, that he wasn't good enough to talk to him. He tried a few times, even managed to talk to Sasuke for awhile, it was a lot of fun. No one had been as nice to him as Sasuke had and so he let himself think that they were friends. He was brought back to reality that night though. His home was burned a few days before hand and he was desperate after he'd accidentally run into a couple of drunks. He ran as far and as fast as possible after escaping them and with luck came across Sasuke's home. After Sasuke turned him down the temperature dropped and water froze to snow. He spent that night in one of the plastic tubes of the park near the academy and almost died.

Not long after that came the incident and slowly the opinion of himself got worse and worse till he felt worthless. He knew he could never be Sasuke's friend so settled for pretending he was good enough to be Sasuke's rival. Even though he had no friends he felt that arguing with Sasuke kept him somewhat sane. He had nothing else. No one cared about him, no one wanted him, everyone hated him and… he didn't want to think about that. He had no purpose for being alive except in being able to argue with Sasuke, to be berated by Sakura. They were the only ones in the world who so much as knew that he existed, even if it was just because he bothered them. It hurt so much to know he would never be anything else to them, to anyone for that matter, but desperately held on to it. Every time he left the academy he felt numb, a dark nothingness that consumed his body so that even the citizens of Konoha couldn't touch him.

Then by some strange miracle he was placed on Sasuke and Sakura's team. Sasuke always insulted him, always hated him, always degraded him. Naruto always argued back, disagreed vehemently, but in the end silently agreed with everything Sasuke had to say about him. Sasuke was his idol, the person he looked up to more so than any one else in the world. Naruto was a despised monster that everyone hated, Sasuke the perfect individual that everyone loved. So Naruto tried desperately to be like him, to try to be what everyone liked and hated himself more each time he failed and lost to Sasuke, cause it just proved how worthless he was.

When Sasuke told him that he, Naruto the worthless, was one of the one's he wanted to fight in the preliminaries and finals… Naruto was never happier when he heard that. Sasuke finally acknowledged him, acknowledged that he was good, he was finally given something to be proud of by his team but then… They'd fought on the roof. It was as if his whole world fell apart.

"You dimwit idiot, what are you so full of yourself for?"

"Eh? What are you losing your cool for? That's so unlike you. What? Are you afraid now that you've challenged me to a fight, huh, Sasuke?"

"Shut up and fight!"

"Before we start you better put on this leaf headband."

"I don't need something like that."

"Just do it!"

"You won't even lay a finger on me, let alone my forehead."

"That's not the point. I'm saying this is a symbol that we fight as equal leaf ninja."

"That's why I say your full of yourself! You think your on par with me?"

"Of course I do! In fact I've never thought of myself as inferior to you, not even once!"

It was as if everything up until then was worthless. Everything Naruto had worked for, for Kakashi's respect, for Sasuke's acknowledgement… it was gone. He was once more nothing. He'd thought when they fought Gaara that Sasuke had included him when he'd spoken about precious comrades, but Sasuke still considered him as beneath him. Could someone you considered to be worthless be precious to you at the same time? Naruto didn't think so. Every grain of self worth he'd built up since the day they'd become Gennin turned to dust as if it were never there. He'd worked so hard, nearly died to bring back Tsunade to heal Kakashi and Sasuke after Itachi sent them both into a coma. Neither of them thanked him, both of them squeezed their fists around his heart until it's beat slowed to a barely alive rate, cracking it.

Sakura and Naruto

[A.N This is the short 'Dinner' sect. by Kishi Hisake]

They'd been assigned a C-rank mission in delivering medical supplies to one of the fire nations most advanced hospitals near it's capital. They'd been traveling for two days now and the sun just set itself below the horizon causing team 7 to set up camp for the night. A cycle for chores became designated to each team member, as this was to be a week long mission: tonight Sakura handled the tents, Sasuke got the firewood, and Naruto cooked the dinner.

Sakura, while setting up the boy's tent, watched Naruto bustle around the slowly growing fire. Naruto hummed to himself a tune that Sakura would secretly admit to herself to be calming and beautiful. Never in a million years would Sakura ever say that the blonde member of their team possessed an extremely nice voice when he wasn't yelling about something or other. The blonde grinned as he took a whiff of the stew before nodding to himself and mumbling something under his breath as he added a herb she didn't recognize. Then he rushed off to chop up some rabbit meat he'd caught not even an hour ago into small pieces to add to his concoction.

All through this he kept glancing over to her while she worked on the tents, saying things like, "Ne, Sakura-chan! You're going to love this! Don't worry, it isn't ramen." Sakura smiled to herself, who knew that Naruto would be the one on the team to enjoy cooking. Little did they know that dinner would not be the most appetizing thing to look at. "Naruto… What is this?"

Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke were seated together beside a large fire.

Naruto turned his gaze up to the rest of the team, the strange goop that he called stew bulging his cheeks out unattractively. He quickly swallowed his mouthful of goop and grinned at the rest of them, who were staring down at the stew like it was an alien that had just come out of their mother's womb instead of their little brother. "What 'cha mean? This is what I have at home sometimes, its easy to make and fills you up." Sasuke looked down at his bowl again, and then set down in front him, scooting it away from him with his foot. "I'm not eating this." Kakashi set his down as well, not exactly trusting the way his bowl of goop was bubbling. "No offense, Naruto."

Sakura stared at hers as well, then sighed. "I can't eat something like this. It's just not very… well… appetizing." she said, putting hers on the ground next to the others. For a second, he stared at them, a flash of something unfamiliar in his eyes, then he grinned, squinting his eyes like he normally did. "Oh, come on, guys! It's really good! It isn't bad. I promise," he said, digging into his bowl again. Sakura, her hunger eating away at her mood, glared at him. "Naruto, I told you I wasn't going to eat it. It just doesn't look good." She scoffed. "I can't definitely say that you are able to keep all of your promises." Naruto paused in his eating for a moment, turning to look at her. "Well… I'm promising you now that it's not that bad." He grinned again. "So just try it! If you honestly don't like it, then you can throw it away or better yet give it to me, I'll eat it."

Sakura gave him an unsure look. Then her stomach gave a loud growl, and she sighed. Picking up her bowl, she gulped down her fear and brought a spoonful of the strange goop up. She vaguely registered that Kakashi and Sasuke were leaning in, watching her intently. Slowly, she opened up her mouth… And took a bite.

She chewed thoughtfully for a moment, allowing the taste to slide across her tongue. It wasn't really that bad… She had to admit that even though it looked like it could eat her alive, it didn't have too bad of a taste. Swallowing her bite, she dipped her spoon back in and took another bite. Kakashi and Sasuke shared a glance, then began to carefully take small bites themselves. Naruto watched them eat while serving himself a second bowl, making sure to keep his hair in front of his eyes. None of the others realized that he was waiting for some sort of a, "Hey, it isn't half bad," or, "Sorry that I said all that stuff." And because of that, he quietly ate the rest of his food, not bothering to lift his eyes to meet anyone else's. No one on team 7 would say anything to him for the rest of the night and Naruto would not approach anyone. The blonde would quietly slip into his sleeping bag and keep his back to the rest of them for the entirety of the night.

* * *

"Sakura, I have to know… what do you think of Naruto?"

"If he had his way, I'd never find love or happiness… He ruins everything… he enjoys tormenting me! Naruto doesn't understand me at all. I can't stand to have him any where near me!"

He'd always knew Sakura disliked him but it wasn't until the day they became Gennin that he knew she hated him. It was the reason he didn't bother to try and get the others to work with him during the bell test. After he'd heard the rules he thought that he'd be sent back to the academy and that he deserved it. The only thought that crossed his mind during the test was that he was happy that Sasuke and Sakura at least would be able to graduate as Gennin. He knew that they would be happier without him anyways. At the time he'd still been deeply confused by the incident with Mizuki and Iruka, still wondering if it wouldn't just be better if he slit his own throat. It wasn't until he started to spend a good deal of time with Iruka that he'd felt any type of worth about himself. He owed Iruka everything and could give the man nothing, something he felt horrible about.

Sakura, during his time in the academy and just when he'd meet Iruka, she was the only other person besides Sasuke who responded to his pestering. Everyone else in the academy ignored him as if he weren't even there. It was as if there was a wall between him and the rest of the world but there was a tiny crack where Sasuke and Sakura could hear him. Most of the time he felt horrible for bothering them, but at the same time he felt worse when they turned away, as if he'd slip under a current just laying beneath his feet dying to grab a hold of him. He did like Sakura a lot but he knew she'd never like him back, he was content with just being near her because he enjoyed listening to her talk about anything and everything. Slowly it got to where she actually seemed to like talking to him, something new he'd never had with anyone his own age. He could sit and talk to her for hours but in the end she would get tired of it and insult him before leaving. He could handle that, as long as she eventually came back.

It wasn't until he was in the hospital room though that everything came into perspective for him. He'd worked so hard to get Tsunade to come to Konoha first and foremost to heal his injured teammates. He'd not wanted anything but a small thank you from just one of them. Something to show that they recognized his hard work and cared that he'd gone to such lengths for them. Sakura didn't say a word, just as Kakashi and Sasuke said nothing. It hurt a lot, but it wasn't like he couldn't deal with it. What crushed him was the things they said to him after he'd worked so hard to help them, telling him how worthless he was. It was something that Sakura did that caused Naruto to realize something though. She ignored him and rushed to Sasuke's side the moment Tsunade healed him. She enraptured Sasuke in a hug of care and joy.

Sakura, not in a million years time, would ever do the same for him. Naruto knew this fact just the same as he knew the back of his hand. She would never spend every day in a hospital room waiting for him to get better, he doubted she'd even visit. She would never hug him or even touch him no matter how much pain he was in. She would never jump in front of an enemy attack for him as she'd done for Sasuke against Gaara. She would never so much as peel an apple for him as she'd done for Sasuke. He'd already known this deep down but it was the fact that he knew what was coming that nearly broke him. He knew the moment he saw her enrapture Sasuke. They were moving on. They were growing closer together while he was being forced back. Naruto doubted he'd even be able to say goodbye when it happened. They would simply be there one day and gone the next. They would move on to better things, they would be promoted faster, be together longer possibly forever. He would be left to fall under the current by himself, his anchors would be gone and he would either have to find a way to shore or drown, all that was left was to figure out which one would hurt less. Sakura never said a word to him but it echoed volumes.

That's what hurt the most about what Kakashi and Sasuke said not two days later. It was as if they'd heard Sakura cry that silent alarm, that it was time to let him swim or drown, and it appeared they were voting for the later. He didn't think he'd make it much longer, even his pretend world couldn't cope with so much hatred from the people he cared about most, his pretend world where his team cared as much about him as he did them. So Naruto showed up for practice and missions as he'd always done before, smiling like an idiot, making sure not to look either of them in the eye. He'd keep his pretend world up as long as he could and then swim as long as possible in whatever ocean they threw him in. Until a dog was thrown in with him…


	5. You work where?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!

A/N Thanks you Epitome of Eccentricity! You're the BEST!

"Every author has their eccentricities, mine is putting characters in horrible situations to break them down and then building a story around the aftermath. Some people would call it satisfying a sadistic nature, I call it creating a story difficult to forget."

–Trave Heath Lien

Chapter 5: You work where?

When Guruko and Naruto made it to the training grounds early the next day, Naruto once more practiced his weapons aim, pounding kunai after kunai into the bark with a vengeance. The sound of wood splintering resounded through the area, as each hit dug deep into every bull's eye. Guruko wasn't sure why Naruto even practiced so much with his shuriken and Kunai, since the blonde could give any Jounin a run for their money. Of course, as the dog watched he reasoned that it might be a stress reliever for the boy, with how he was making chunks fly from the tree. As before, all evidence of the said practice session involving Naruto was gone by the time his teammates showed up at the designated hour.

The events that took place were eerily similar to Naruto's prediction on how Sasuke and Sakura would react to his absence. Naruto bore through Sakura's yelling and Sasuke's contempt with a strained smile that caused Guruko to whine miserably beside the blonde. Guruko audibly moaned when neither of his teammates asked why the blonde was absent. If he'd taken up that bet, he'd have lost an awful lot of money.

"Naruto, do you hear Guruko? He sounds sick… what did you do?" Sakura asked as she bent down to pet the dog's head. _'He got stuck on a team with you two,' _Guruko thought bitterly. Not even a week ago would Guruko have said that he very much liked Sasuke and Sakura- they were good people after all- but almost a week of seeing through Naruto's perspective left the dog tempting to bite the hand that petted his head so soothingly. The absolute ignorance of Sasuke and Sakura to Naruto's life was mind blowing.

Did they know Naruto worked two jobs? Did they know Naruto had financial problems? Did they know about the horrible treatment their teammate faced every day or that he got sick every week? Guruko hoped to God that they didn't know because if they did and they just let it continue to happen without offering any help, Guruko swore he'd rip off one of their limbs.

If they asked why he was absent, would Naruto have even of told them that it was because a man attacked him and hurt him? Even now Guruko wasn't sure if the blonde needed medical treatment. Naruto's sheer ability to deceive the people around him caused the dog to shudder. If the Hokage ever found out about the blonde's skills Naruto would probably be placed on a team for undercover work immediately. Not many shinobi showed such blatant skill of one of the most important arts of being a ninja. While within the apartment this morning the blonde was a mess, the boy looked as if he'd be sick any moment now, and he wore a grim expression while pouring breakfast for Guruko. Then, as if he'd suddenly been replaced by someone else, he put on his clothes and walked out the door with Guruko with the actions of someone going to a celebration. A large grin sat on his lips, there was a bounce in his walk and he talked animatedly to Guruko the whole way to the training area. He'd slipped on an emotional mask as easily as shinobi slipped a kunai from their pouch. It was very difficult for Guruko, who knew the smiles and grins of the preteen before him were fake, to tell that they were strained at all. For the most part they seemed natural, the only thing that gave Naruto away at all was that the crinkle in his eyes was a little too tight, as if the mere act of smiling and laughing was painful.

"Naruto! I asked you what you did to Guruko." Sakura repeated herself.

Naruto shrugged,. "He looks fine to me," Naruto muttered.

"What was that?" Sakura asked in a too sweat voice.

"I said… I don't know, I thought I did everything right," Naruto rephrased.

"Dobe, do you need someone to hold your hand for everything?" Sasuke growled.

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Naruto snapped back.

"Then why is Kakashi's dog acting like he's gonna die?" Sasuke snarled.

Guruko sighed in exasperation before getting up and patting over to Naruto and tugging on the pant of his leg with his teeth. Naruto paused in his comeback and bent down to which Guruko licked his face happily. Really, Guruko was finding it increasingly difficult to get his point across without just saying it. Naruto smirked. Sasuke frowned and turned away. Sakura just stared, slightly confused at the sudden change in the dog's attitude.

"I knew you were just being a drama queen," Naruto whispered as he scratched behind the dog's ear. Guruko huffed and went back to his laying down position beside Pakkun who was wearily watching him, wondering not for the first time why Guruko was acting so strange.

When Naruto went to practice the leaf exercise once more Pakkun pulled Guruko to the side as Sakura began to demonstrate to Sasuke how to dismantle a Genjutsu without the aide of the Sharingan.

"Why are you still not talking and why are you acting like a whining child?" Pakkun snapped at him. Guruko growled angrily at the smaller dog.

"Does Kakashi know about Naruto's home life?" Guruko asked, barely holding in his rage.

"What are you talking about? Is something wrong?" Pakkun asked, this time his voice lowered and concerned.

"Hell yes something's wrong! Everything's wrong! He's working two jobs, struggling to make ends meet and the other day a man hurt him just outside his home! Naruto needs to get out of there immediately!" Guruko snarled as he began to limp back and forth in his aggravation.

"Hurt him?" Pakkun asked startled.

"It's healed now thanks to the kids healing abilities but it was bad Pakkun, real bad. And from what I saw, it wasn't the first time the man got a hold of him, with how Naruto acted afterwards I think that mans been hurting him for a long time." Guruko said darkly. Pakkun's eyes wondered over to the blonde in question, who sat far from everyone else near the lake, frustration clear his face as the leaf fell off again.

"Have you informed anyone?" Pakkun asked.

"The Hokage should know by now," Guruko said quietly. "She'll be tearing heads off to find the man."

Guruko watched as Naruto suddenly stood up and walked onto the lake before sitting down directly in the middle of the lake and attempting to perform the exercise while simultaneously balancing on the surface of the water. Guruko couldn't help but smirk as the leaf stayed on immediately. He'd been correct- it wasn't the difficulty of the exercise or that Naruto couldn't understand how to perform it, it was the level of chakra needed for the exercise. Naruto was a Jinchuuriki with larger chakra reserves than the Hokage, so it was simply impossible to draw out such a small amount of chakra. Neither of his teammates seemed to have noticed their teammates achievement though. Guruko sighed in annoyance.

"There isn't anything else we can do then, its up to the Hokage, just keep an eye on him until she makes her move." Pakkun said from beside him. Guruko nodded as he watched Naruto continue to practice, moving from using one leaf to several on different point on his body.

When they got home later that day, Naruto fell tiredly onto his bed and closed his eyes; Guruko wagging his tails happily at him as he pulled at the blondes shoes till they came off. Naruto reached down and pulled the dog up onto the bed with him, absently stroking the light brown fur as Guruko snuggled up against him.

"You know you're the devil right?" Naruto said tiredly, "I gotta get up in a few minutes, and make dinner, and take you out, and then I gotta go to work and you're here making me all comfortable? That's just cruel…" Naruto said sleepily. Guruko yipped in agreement before making himself comfortable and falling asleep. "Little bastard…" Naruto muttered.

Naruto did get up only a few minutes later -and far too soon for Guruko's liking- and was on his way to his second job. It was about time, Guruko thought, that he found out what this second job was. The moment the door closed, Guruko limped to the window and gently prodded the farthest window pain to the right. The window pain swung open easily, something he'd accidentally figured out on his excavation of Naruto's home, and squeezed through until he stood on the rather large ledge that encircled the entire building.

Being careful of the edge, Guruko carefully limped around the building till he came to the opening where the stairs lay. There was a three-foot drop that while it would jar his leg wound, it wouldn't be too painful. Guruko hoped down and sniffed the air. Damn that kid went far in such a short amount of time. He'd never have expected that Naruto could walk so fast with those short legs of his.

Naruto lived in the worst section of Konohagakure; a place even the shinobi tread carefully in, filled with drunks, druggies and the like. Considering this caused Guruko to feel his heart sink deep into his chest when Naruto's scent led him deeper into the filthy neighborhood rather than away from it. It took Guruko a considerable amount of time to navigate his way to the place due to his leg but when he finally stopped in front of the building of Naruto's second job the dog almost blanched. _'Naruto works at a bar?!' _Guruko thought in horror. Guruko cautiously made his way inside and felt his nose twitch at the intense smell of liquor.

It was difficult to pick up Naruto's scent among all the other strong odors, but Guruko wasn't on Kakashi's team for nothing. The dog made his way to the back and snuck through a curtained doorway to a dimly lit kitchen area. There Naruto stood among a sea of burly men washing the dishes, his small body paling in comparison to those around him, a tall stack of dishes beside him that would probably take the blonde a while to get through.

Guruko shrunk back into the shadows of a corner as a large man walked in with a big stack of dishes, chuckling as he placed them down none too gently beside the already generous pile there. Naruto sighed dejectedly as the man chuckled and disappeared the way he came. With the man continuously coming in with more dishes, it took Naruto three full hours to get them all cleaned and put away for the night. It was nine o'clock, so the dinner guests would be thinning while the orders for alcoholic beverages would be increasing. Guruko watched from the corner the entire time, almost falling asleep on more than one occasion, after all watching someone clean dishes was about as much fun as doing them. Not that he ever experienced doing dishes, but he'd heard Kakashi complained about it several times at home.

"Naruto!" A tall man in his mid thirties walked through the curtained doorway, his scalp as bare as a baby's bottom and had small, gold-hooped earrings hanging from each lobe. He was not fat but rather broad shouldered with tattoos covering the entirety of his left arm. In other words he was big, scary and strong.

"Yeah, Satoshi?" Naruto asked as he dried his pruned hands off from the soapy water. So this was Naruto's boss. _'Eww… Scary.' _Guruko couldn't help but think. "

Waiter called in sick last minute, time to make up for not coming in the other night." Satoshi said, his words came out in a grating, croaking whisper, as if at one point he'd had his voice box ripped out and shoved back in the wrong way. Naruto rubbed the back of his neck tiredly while nodding. "Alright," Naruto said as he took up a waiters' apron and tied it around his waist. The waiters got paid more than he did so it was a punishment for Naruto to work as a waiter for the same amount he always got. Naruto touched the wraps around his face to make sure they were secure and pushed a stray strand of blonde hair back up into his bandana before walking out into the crowded and slightly smoky front room. Guruko quietly followed and hid in the shadow of the large bar counter.

Guruko watched closely, weary of any sudden movements on the drunks' part. Naruto smiled at each of the customers as he wrote down their orders and for the most part the customers behaved themselves though a few women flirted with him. Naruto just smiled at them and dealt with it with ease. Guruko almost revealed himself though when a drunken man roughly grabbed a hold of the blonde's shoulder and demanded more beer be served to him immediately, but stopped himself as Naruto easily removed himself from the mans grip and assured him that he'd have another drink for the man in a minute. The drunk calmed down enough to nod eagerly and proclaim to the table that more young people should be as obedient as the lad.

Nine turned to ten and that turned into eleven, Naruto's quitting time, which allowed Guruko to sigh in relief. A twelve year old shouldn't be working in a bar! Guruko was going to have many words with Kakashi for not watching his students closer. It was not to be a peaceful leave though. As Naruto finished up delivering his last order to a table in the corner, a rather intoxicated women grabbed a hold of Naruto's wrist and pulled him to her. Naruto gently tugged his wrist out of her grip and began to walk away. The woman was persistent though, she lurched from her seat at the booth and stumbled behind him until she leaned heavily against his shoulder.

"Hey, hey now thas NOT wery nice o yous," she said with a hiccup.

"I'm sorry but I'm off now, please go to another waiter," Naruto said gently as he removed her from him again.

"I knows THAT," She said indignantly "I's only wanted to know if you've wanted me as much as I've wanted youuuu." The women slurred with a giggle.

"Sorry, not interested." Naruto said as he tried to leave again. The women took a 180 in the emotional scale and started to cry, right in the middle of the bar.

"Whys's not?! You'se thinks I'm uglyz don' you?!" The women yelled loudly, her cries turning to wails before she lurched forward and grabbed Naruto's wrist again. "I'm not ugly you stupid jerk!" The women cried out. Naruto winced as the women's nails dug into his arm and roughly removed his hand from her grip.

"I never said you were ugly, I just said I'm not interested," Naruto said as he made it to the front of the bar and began to take the waiter's apron off. Guruko moved closer, ready to attack the women if she tried anything worse. The women sniffled loudly, her hand half covering her mouth.

"So do yous think I's peatty?" She asked quietly.

"You're a very beautiful women," Naruto told her with a strained grin. The women nodded her head and smiled happily, a hiccup escaping her lips as she looked at Naruto again. She moved forward and attempted to grab him again but Naruto once more moved away from her and let her bump into the bar's counter.

"I said," Naruto gritted out, "that I'm not interested." As the women began to wail again Naruto ducked into the back room and leaned against the wall, messaging his forehead with a slightly shaking hand.

"God I hate this job," Naruto muttered to himself as he tiredly straitened up. "Satoshi! I'm heading home now!" Naruto called, the only response being a loud grunt from the bar. "Come on Guruko, let's go home." The dog gave a guilty start as he slunk out of the shadows and gave the blonde a questioning look. Naruto chuckled tiredly as he stretched. "I wouldn't be a very good shinobi if I didn't notice a dog with a chakra signature following me around," Naruto said crookedly.

Guruko lowered his head further and whined. "Yeah, yeah, I don't care what your excuse is you aren't doing this again you hear?" Naruto said sternly as he began to walk toward the back door, "And since you decided that you could walk all the way here on your own I'm not carrying around your heavy ass back to the apartment," Naruto said as he opened the back door wide for the dog. Guruko whined as he limped through the back door, Naruto laughing at the dog's antics.

* * *

Team 7 never met on Saturday and Sundays due to their sensei almost always having a mission on the weekends and the fact that in the beginning team 7 really couldn't stand each other enough to be around each other every day of the week. Well, it was more like Sasuke couldn't stand his teammates and Sakura couldn't stand Naruto. Thus, they'd gotten into the practice of having the weekends off and even when they'd grown closer to each other, it became such an ingrained habit that they didn't bother breaking it. Well, Sasuke and Sakura didn't bother breaking it, Naruto just gave up trying to get either of them to hang out with him on the weekends or any other day.

So when Guruko woke up at six in the morning, a mere six hours after he and Naruto went to bed, to find that the blonde was already awake the dog rolled over and groaned. Did Naruto ever sleep more than a few hours? Guruko gingerly hopped out of bed and searched around the apartment for the blonde to find nothing. Guruko groaned in annoyance. After a few more minutes Guruko found himself in the kitchen and nestled down with an annoyed huff… only to hear an amused snort come from above him. Startled Guruko looked up to see Naruto upside down, legs Indian style with hands in a hand seal for focus, practicing chakra control with a leaf on his forehead. Guruko felt his eye twitch, did the blonde ever stop working?

"Morning sunshine!" Naruto called cheerily, but Guruko noticed dark shadows under his eyelids despite the carefree tone. Guruko growled up at the blonde, no, the dog was not an early bird to get the worm. He hated worms. "Now that your up I was thinking we could go train!" Naruto said happily.

Guruko moaned and whined as if he was still a pup and rolled over with a pitiful cry. "Don't be that way! Well go to a special training ground that nobody uses any more and you can sleep all you want," Naruto said as he gently flipped from the roof and landed in a crouch upon the floor. Naruto grabbed his weapons pouch and a basket with a book in it before setting it beside the door. "Why don't I pick you up some cooked meet on the way?" Naruto asked teasingly. Guruko rolled onto his stomach and wagged his tail. He was tired but cooked meat sounding much better than worms. Naruto laughed as he gently picked the dog up and slipped him into the basket beside the book. With that they left the apartment.

Naruto hummed that same strange but beautiful tune to Guruko as they walked down the streets of Konoha, blatantly ignoring the awful insults people spat harshly at him as he passed them by. Guruko growled at them but Naruto just stoked his fur to calm him down, reminding him that it would cause more trouble than good. Still, when a man stretched and 'accidentally' slipped his leg out as Naruto walked by Guruko couldn't help but snarl at the man who nearly fell out of his seat in fear. Despite his reprimanding Naruto couldn't help the slight snicker that escaped at the man's expression. When Naruto bought the promised meat under the disguise of a henged young women, basket to hip and smile on her pretty lips. The stand that sold the meat to Naruto, under henge of course, was run by a man missing several of his front teeth. The man smiled broadly at the young women, Naruto, as he gave the blonde a discount. Guruko snickered the whole way to the special training ground as he munched on his meat. Their walk took them several miles past the regular training grounds to a place within the shadows of the west side of the Hokage monument. The only light came in the form of a few rays seeping out from the thick forestry above. It was a peaceful place for a nap, just as Naruto promised.

Naruto set the dog down beside him on the grassy forest floor and took the book out of the basket. Guruko settled beside the blonde and peered at the book curiously. Naruto smiled down at him as he leafed through to a certain page. "Before the Chuunin exams, Jiji called me up to his office to give me this book. He knew I always wanted to learn my mom's Taijutsu style so he kept the instructions safe for me until he thought that I could start learning it." Naruto explained with a gentle loving smile on his face as he remembered the man he considered a grandfather. "When I was little he would tell me all sorts of stories about her… that I reminded him of her. He said she was an ANBU captain before she died and a medical kunoichi at that." Naruto frowned a little at that and looked down at the book before him blankly.

"I… always wanted to be a medic nin like she was, but since I'm a Jinchuuriki that's impossible." Naruto said dejectedly. "I've been trying really hard at making medicine though. I can't be a medic nin, but I want to learn how to be a regular medic at least. I won't be able to do the things she did, but I'll still be able to help my team. Both Sasuke and Sakura are great at Genjutsu but Sasuke's good at Ninjutsu too while Sakura's been focusing on her Taijutsu since the Chuunin Exams, it's what really makes them useful to the team since we're an assault squad. Since I'm mainly a Ninjutsu user I've been reading a lot of medical books so that I can be the medic of my team." Naruto told Guruko. Guruko yipped happily up at him. Guruko thought the idea of the kindhearted blonde being a medic fit the boy's personality perfectly. "Maybe then I'll actually be able to do something right instead of always screwing everything up," Naruto muttered more to himself than Guruko.

"For her Taijutsu style she used fans like Temari only she had two and they were small." Naruto said as he scratched Guruko's ear, his voice coming out in an excited breath. "I wanted to ask Kaka sensei to help me but…" Guruko stiffened. "It doesn't matter I guess." Naruto said quietly. Guruko growled at him, demanding he be told why Kakashi wouldn't help him. Naruto sighed tiredly. "He's just busy. He told me I needed to practice my basic forms first so I did… for nearly four months now." Naruto said softly in resignation. "I don't have the fans yet though and their pretty expensive for any person not just me so… and I can't get them till I get some new shinobi attire cause these are getting small on me… not to mention all my bills and other things I have to pay off… plus I'm gonna have to replace my weapons soon cause their dull… I guess it was really a stupid thought from the beginning huh?" Naruto asked Guruko. Guruko frowned up at the blonde, angry about Kakashi negligence and Naruto's negative attitude. It seemed on at least a few things Naruto didn't have much hope, what made it horrible to Guruko was that with each passing day it appeared that team 7 was the root of that lost hope.

"Its too bad my mom's fans were destroyed with my family's home. I'll get a home of my own one day though, away from the village. I've even got one picked out!" Naruto said with a contented smile on his face. "It's a bit run down but it's away from the village up against the wall in the most dense part of these forests. Jiji made sure that no one could buy it till I got enough money for it. Just a few more months I'll have enough. Just little while longer…" Naruto said, stroking Guruko softly. The dog had the feeling that Naruto was talking more to himself than to him. "All I got to do is make it a little while longer…" Naruto closed the book and stood up. "I'll just practice the academy form and then see if Ero-Sennin won't mind helping me with it. He should be here in a couple days… but…"

"_Don't be such a baby! I think you misunderstood something… I did promise to teach you jutsu but I never said I would hold your hand and walk you through it. If you can't master it on your own, that's it. Stop being so juvenile… and start acting like a proper shinobi!"_

"_I don't have the time… I'm not even going to sit and eat here. I'm going to scarf it down on my way to the city. If you can't think it through and figure out the knacks on your own you'll never get better! I already told you three weeks ago, stop being such a baby… didn't I. You're a ninja!_"

Guruko watched silently as Naruto's face fell completely. "I'll just, I'll just… try to teach myself," Naruto said dejectedly. "I need to stop being such a baby," Naruto whispered to himself as he sat down and opened the book again. Naruto positioned the book against a nearby tree, and stood in the first form but it was slightly off from what the book showed. Naruto tried several different times to adjust his stance, getting close but then trying to fix it and accidentally making it worse. Naruto bit his lip as he moved his foot an inch to the right and noticed the entire stance go off kilter. This went on for a few hours, the blondes frustration mounting as he tried to figure out the motions depicted in the book, but failed miserably. Taijutsu was simply something that _needed _some type of instructor. Guruko watched the blonde try again and again, wincing each time the stance got worse. Naruto chewed the bottom of his lip through till a thin line of blood drip down his chin before wiping it away with a growl of frustration. He sighed as he peered behind him at the sun and noticed that it was early afternoon.

"Come on Guruko, I'll take you home and feed you. Then theirs this job I need to get to…" Naruto said absently as he put the book back into the basket. Guruko nearly toppled over at that. _'Another job?!' _Guruko thought incredulously. Naruto put Guruko in the basket the dog pulling at Naruto's sleeve. "Hmm? What?" Naruto asked, not understanding what the dog wanted. Guruko gently head butted his shoulder and whined. Naruto still didn't understand though and just shrugged helplessly. _'This would be so much easier if I could just ask him what I wanted to know, but damn the brat he'd go tight lipped immediately!' _

When they got home, Naruto made himself a quick cup of ramen and refilled Guruko's bowl. "The job I'm going to is just a shipping business that pays a lot for men who can lift their crates and stack them onto the carriages or simply deliver heavier than normal packages around the city." Naruto explained as he got ready to leave. "I should be back by four and then I'll take you out and feed you and go to the bar for the rest of the night, this time without a companion!" Naruto said sternly.

"On the weekends I work at the bar from seven to three in the morning so don't bother waiting up for me. Just go to bed. Satoshi is gonna have me cleaning up the bar after everyone leaves. It makes a lot of money actually so it's well worth it." Guruko growled his disapproval as Naruto began to water his plants. "Don't be like that," Naruto said, "Its not like I've got a choice. There aren't many places that will hire me, and some much worse then a bar, so it's a good deal." _'You shouldn't have to work so much just to get by,'_ Guruko thought to himself. Naruto finished up and gave Guruko a pat before walking out the door.

* * *

Naruto had come home drenched in sweat around four thirty, and then was out the door again by six thirty. Despite what Naruto said about not waiting up for him, Guruko slept on the kitchen floor so that when the door opened he would immediately wake up. Except the door never opened and Guruko didn't wake up till seven the next morning. When the dog blurrily blinked several times to find shining rays of sunshine cascading through the curtains of the kitchen window the dog felt his heart rip out of his chest. He checked Naruto's bedroom and then the bathroom. No Naruto. Guruko sniffed the air and noted that he couldn't smell Naruto's trail, too many hours had gone by and the scent was simply to weak for him to pick up, it was something Pakkun was a lot better at than him. The small dog could pick up a trail a couple _days _old.

The dog panicked and limped his way out of the building and all the way to the bar. The nin dog checked every room in the building from the shadows, his heart racing as each search came up empty. Guruko limped to the training grounds, team 7's and Naruto's personal place, and howled in fear when still nothing came up. The sun was high in the sky, a sign that it was early afternoon already. Guruko limped back to the apartment building and slipped into Naruto's home, whimpering when he found no trace of the blonde. Back and forth from kitchen to the bedroom and from wall to wall the dog paced slowly, eyes continuously falling on the clock and watching the hand steadily move toward the end of another minute and turn into another hour.

Finally… FINALLY. Around two in the afternoon, the front door finally creaked open. Naruto stumbled through the door, bruises littering his entire body like an infestation, his frame shaking uncontrollably as he fell to his knees and dropped his black bandana and bandages onto the floor. Naruto's lips were swollen and bloody, hair dangling around his face with sweat and grime, tears pouring down his face as he shivered and breaths coming in harsh, strained gasps. Guruko's tail found it's way between his legs as he limped hurriedly over and sniffed the blonde. Guruko cringed and yelped as the distinct smell of bodily fluids and blood that the dog recognized from missions with Kakashi. Missions were they'd found victims of attack by rouge ninja… rape victims.

Naruto hiccupped and coughed harshly before he covered his mouth and shot up, running to the bathroom. Guruko heard the sound of retching escape from the wide open door and winced. The dog felt his heart beginning to fall to pieces. Naruto was his companion, his friend and that someone would hurt him like that caused the dog physical agony. Someone would pay for this, he would hunt down who ever did this and kill them, but for now he needed to be beside his companion. Just as Kakashi became Pakkun's pact mate and Pakkun Kakashi's familiar Guruko found that Naruto had become his pack mate and he Naruto's familiar. Guruko threw up his head and let out a loud howl of pure anger and sadness.

BN: Oh God, that was so sad. I feel like crying now, but I shall not! Instead, I'll go beta another chapter to be posted sometime for all you readers to enjoy! I'm just glad I get to beta this masterpiece. It's original, and extremely interesting, so I'm happy. Remember to review for Windy here! She could use them!


	6. Congratulations Sakura

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Windschild8178: **This will be one of three chapters that has a very short description of rape**, but it's merely the removal of clothes and some skin contact of the upper body. I did not include an actually rape scene. I'm sure all you teenagers, if you so wish it, can imagine what happens next. This is 1) because I do not wish to write something dirty in any way and 2) You never know what age of children or young teens are reading this and frankly imaging any of my younger siblings reading an actual sex scene of any kind disturbs the hell out of me and makes me angry at some author on here who have a perfectly good story only to ruin it because they're horny and can't get nothing so have fantasies on a fanfiction site. Too often I see stories rated incorrectly and it angers me a great deal, I know it can't stop children from looking at whatever story they want but I at least will keep it clean.

Thank you Epitome of Eccentricities! Your the greatest! two chapters for you guys this week! Give it up to my beta!

Oh, and one of the reviewers commented that it would be easier to follow the story if each time a new character talked I started a new paragraph to make it eaiser to read. Please tell me if this is easier to follow and I'll do it for all the chapters!

Chapter 6: Congratulations Sakura

Guruko gingerly licked the blood off Naruto's face as the blonde lay on the bathroom floor, staring blankly across the tile in front of him with his back against the wall. Guruko wanted desperately to go get help, but he didn't know where Sasuke and Sakura lived, and Kakashi was out of town. He could go to the Hokage tower to get Tsunade, but that would take him nearly an hour to get to the center of the village with his leg in a cast. He didn't want to leave Naruto alone for such a long period of time when the blonde needed him. Not only that, but Guruko feared what might happen if the Jinchûriki was to be left on his own in his current state of being. Guruko gently nudged Naruto, but he didn't respond at all, just continued to stare ahead with blank eyes. The dog whined piteously, scared that Naruto had gone into shock. Three long hours passed by before Naruto moved at all; Guruko was watching him studiously the entire time.

Naruto moved stiffly from his laying position into a seated position with his legs spread out hazardously before him, back still against wall and eyes dull, but not completely blank as they'd been before. Naruto's lips were still swollen and the bruises showed angrily against his tanned skin everywhere, but the dog managed to get the blood off him at least. Guruko let out a high pitched cry that caused Naruto to slowly look over at him and blink a few times, but otherwise he didn't move. Guruko crawled forward, tail between legs and nuzzled up to the blonde, licking his cheek affectionately. Slowly Naruto's right hand raised up to softly stroke the brown fur on Guruko's back. Twenty agonizing minutes they stayed like that until Naruto pulled the dog closer and buried his face into Guruko's fur coat.

"Sorry," Naruto whispered to him, "I'm so sorry." Guruko couldn't take it anymore. Naruto desperately needed him right now.

_"What are you sorry for?" _Guruko asked. Naruto stared at him in shock, before tears started to stream down his face.

"You?" Naruto croaked out in surprise and growing horror.

_"Me," _Guruko answered solemnly. Naruto began to shake like a leaf as he stared at the dog.

"I… you… Kaka sensei said… you can't… you shouldn't… it's just… I…" Naruto was hyperventilating as the realization of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks. "You can't talk…! He said you couldn't!" Naruto finally shouted in full blown panic.

_"He lied," _Guruko said quietly to the blonde, _"I lied," _the dog added.

"No!" Naruto yelled out, hands holding the sides of his head. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Naruto said wildly as he lurched to his feet but in his weakened state stumbled, his entire left side slamming against the bathrooms counter top and crumbling down to his hands and knees.

_"Naruto!" _Guruko called.

The dog rushed over and peered at the blonde that tightly gripped his shoulder, a grimace of pain on his face. "You can't! You can't say anything please!" Naruto begged the dog, his voice cracking slightly. Guruko nudged Naruto cheek with his nose.

_"I can't let you be hurt like this Naruto." _Guruko said softly, eyes avoiding the blue orbs that gazed pleadingly at him.

"You don't understand! Please, you can't say anything. I'm doing fine on my own." Naruto said tiredly, body leaning heavily against the cabinet. "Please, I don't want any one to know. Everyone… they already… they already… think I'm useless. I don't want them to think I'm…" Naruto's voice shook horribly to the point that it was difficult to understand and his voice dropped in pitch with each word. Naruto's body lowered to the floor again, as if the gravity was too heavy for him to bear until his forehead lightly touched the tile and the long strands of straw colored bangs touched the ground. "I don't want them to think I'm… I couldn't handle that. I don't want them to know what happened," Naruto whispered. Guruko shoved his head under Naruto's and forced the blonde to look at him.

_"This wasn't your fault!" _Guruko snapped. _"Don't you ever think something like that was your fault!" _

Naruto turned away from Guruko and bit his lip, wincing at the pain of his still swollen lips. "It was my fault though… I wasn't strong enough to get away. I couldn't stand the pain to fight back hard enough," Naruto whispered. Guruko angrily shook his head.

_"Stop! Don't you dare blame yourself like this!" _Guruko said. Guruko forced his body between the nook that sat lay Naruto's knees and bent head, and then craned his head into the crook of Naruto's neck forcing the blonde to sit up all the way. Guruko carefully crawled onto Naruto's lap.

"You don't understand…" Naruto said softly. Guruko looked up at Naruto sadly.

_"I'll be here for you if you want to talk about it," _Guruko told him gently. Naruto tried to smile at him but it failed miserably and came out more as a restrained wince.

"Sorry," Naruto apologized again, though Guruko still didn't know what he was sorry for.

Naruto squeezed Guruko in a tight hug before gently pushing the dog off his lap. "You haven't eaten all day have you?" Naruto asked quietly. Naruto shakily stood up with a great deal of help from the bathroom counter, taking in a deep breath to steady himself.

_"You need to get into bed Naruto," _Guruko said sternly. Naruto shook his head stubbornly.

"I'm not some kid who can't handle a little pain, I'll deal with it." Naruto replied as he walked out and into the kitchen area slowly.

_"If you don't let your body heal you could end up worse than you are!" _

Naruto just shrugged at him. "I'm a Jinchuuriki, it will all heal in an hour or so tops." Guruko cursed under his breath. He'd gotten the scent of the people who'd committed the act though, two of them, he'd recognize them the first time they came within twenty feet of him. Guruko would enjoy sinking his teeth into their flesh after he hunted them down. Naruto sat on the floor with him at dinnertime but the meal was a silent one. Much to Guruko's vast annoyance, Naruto ate very little of his already small meal, staring down at the bowl of rice with blank eyes. The blonde said he still felt too sick to eat it and that he'd eat the rest later though, so Guruko didn't argue. Afterward the blonde disappeared into the bathroom, this time the period between his entrance and the shower starting much longer than normal. Guruko couldn't blame him for wanting time by himself.

* * *

Guruko awoke early Monday along with Naruto this time, by now use to the blonde's sunrise mornings. Guruko treaded around the blonde as if glass lay on the floor. Naruto refused to so much as even look in his direction. There was no tune coming from the kitchen when he woke up and everything from watering the plants to pouring Guruko's food was done without a word. In fact the only time Naruto spoke to the dog at all was when he informed Guruko on what he was doing that day. When Naruto said that he would be going on missions with Sasuke and Sakura for the day and that he, Guruko, would be staying home the dog adamantly refused flat out to allow the blonde out of his sight, even though all the bruises and injuries the blonde had the day before were gone within a few hours, just as Naruto said they would be.

Still, Guruko watched the boy carefully, weary of a relapse and eyes peeled for even the tiniest sign of pain in the preteens expression. Truthfully, Guruko was at a loss for what he could do if it was there. Naruto had proven to be incredibly stubborn and resistant to any idea of help what-so-ever. He'd tried to get the blonde to tell him who it was who'd committed the act with no success. Any type of thought towards going to someone for medical attention shot down. All attempts to convince him that the Hokage or Kakashi should be told ended in violent opposition.

With this in consideration Naruto was not in a good mood when they left the house an hour later to go to the training grounds. Once more the poor, poor trees received the brunt of Naruto's negative emotions and Guruko found himself increasingly thankful that they lived in the fire nation in the middle of a forest instead of wind country's desert. He had a feeling that Naruto's targets would have turned to small adorable animals such as himself. Guruko stayed the safe distance of a hundred feet given that the killing intent reached to nearly eighty feet today, quite a feet for a Gennin, but he supposed that it was to be expected from a Jinchuuriki.

When Sasuke and Sakura arrived, they stared, quite startled at the huge chunks missing out of the trees. Naruto had decided half way through that kunai weren't cutting it enough for him and started practicing his Rasengan to ease his frustration. "Damn Jounin," Naruto said cheerfully to which Sasuke 'hn'd' in annoyance and Sakura looked toward the sky in exasperation. "I really wish they wouldn't train here; it's gonna be difficult to find trees to practice chakra control on if they keep decimating them," The pinkette said with a shake of her head. Guruko snorted and Naruto shot him a look to the side while Sasuke and Sakura weren't paying attention.

Suddenly Sakura's mood changed as she seemed to remember something and turned to the two boy's with a twinkle in her eyes. Sakura smiled broadly at the both of them, which immediately set Naruto on the alert, Sakura never smiled at him. "You guys won't believe this!" Sakura squealed excitedly.

"What?" Naruto asked curious, even Sasuke leaned in a little to hear better.

"I talked to Tsunade-sama, the new Hokage, and she's gonna take me on as her student!" Sakura said happily. Naruto stiffened immediately, but smiled a moment afterwards, covering up his slip, not that either of his teammates noticed anyway.

"Tsunade's a great… medical kunoichi, you'll do great Sakura. You've definitely got the abilities for it," Naruto said with a strained smile. Sasuke nodded in agreement.

"Congratulations Sakura," Sasuke said, to which Sakura blushed in embarrassed pleasure, hands folded in front of her.

The dog stared in shock and watched Naruto with sad eyes as Naruto suggested they wait for Kakashi to get back and then take Sakura out for a team dinner. Sakura agreed with her broad smile still in place, buzzing with excitement. He wondered how difficult doing this for Sakura was for the blonde. _"I… always wanted to be a medic Nin like my mom was, but since I'm a Jinchuuriki that's impossible. I can't be a medic Nin, but I want to learn how to be a regular medic at least. Since I'm mainly a Ninjutsu user I've been reading a lot of medical books so that I can be the medic of my team. __Maybe then I'll actually be able to do something right instead of always screwing everything up..."_ It must have been incredibly painful to smile through that and it only made Guruko sadder to know that Sakura would never know how much she'd just hurt her teammate. It had been Naruto's special thing, what he considered to be his most important quality and what he thought made him useful to the team. Naruto had apparently been studying medical books since he learned to read and been supplied by the third Hokage who knew exactly what books would be best for the blonde.

He'd told Guruko that he wanted to surprise them on their first mission when a medic was required so he hadn't said a word about it. He even had the credentials for it, much to Guruko's surprise. He'd hesitantly asked Shizune soon after they'd gotten back from retrieving Tsunade to test him and she'd been delighted to find that he was good enough to help out in the hospitals if he wanted as a beginner and quickly cleared the paper work for him. Shizune said the only thing Naruto needed now was to gain experience through working with patients. Naruto replied that he would be happy to start work in the hospital as soon as he 'cleared up some things' that would take a few months still to get sorted out. In the mean time, Shizune gave Naruto access to her personal library of regular medical books, to which she'd apparently giggled herself silly when Naruto hugged her tight and couldn't stop thanking her enough. Naruto made her promise not to tell anyone about it though, not even Tsunade. Shizune thought it to all be a great idea and agreed. Naruto would never say anything to his team now, though. He was the type of person to never interfere with another's dreams, but encourage them in any way he could, even if it hurt him to do so. Team 7 was an assault team after all, and wouldn't need another medic, especially one without the chakra control to use medical Ninjutsu.

Guruko limped over and tugged on Naruto's pant leg, to which Naruto absent mindedly patted his head. "Naruto, why'd you bring Guruko? Its not a training day," Sakura asked as she peered at the dog. Naruto forced a laugh and turned all the way to Guruko, rolling his eyes. "He whined and cried all morning to go with me so I brought him to shut him up," Naruto said to which Guruko huffed indignantly and whispered just loud enough for Naruto to hear, _"I did not whine, I demanded with dignity,"_ A small smile graced Naruto's lips for a moment before Sasuke spoke.

"Dobe, you better not slow us done cause your taking care of him and don't even think that you're gonna shove the job on us."

Naruto ignored him and picked Guruko up, following his teammates as they exited the training fields. _"You okay?" _The broad grin Naruto wore fell a little but he nodded slowly in reassurance. "I'm fine." Never the less Naruto's grip on him tightened slightly and wouldn't relax an inch until he was forced to put the dog down to do his job.

_

* * *

_

_Warning: Mild description of rape_

_Naruto stumbled and hit the ground, white powder cushioning his fall. Snow. He hated the snow with a passion. Everything in the world was dark except for the snow, it glowed with a savage wrath of death, cold painful empty death. Naruto raised his hands to his face, the fingers bluish purple and tips turning black from severe frostbite. His feet were no better. The pain was unbearable. Every breath he took brought a cold icy air into his lungs, before stealing his warmth with every exhale, white breath escaping from his lips as the tiny particles of water within him froze mid air. Naruto stumbled to his bloody feet, eyes searching for a way out before his ears picked up a familiar sound. A voice, a female voice that sent shivers through his body, echoing from every direction. _

"_You were born a demon, that's why everyone hates you. You are truly the epitome of death. A thing that doesn't deserve to live but lives, bound in human form and a constant burden on this village. Your curse will be my pleasure now though; you belong to me and I will have all the fun I want with you. If you don't fight, I'll make sure it's somewhat painless, if you do, however, that will only be more fun for me…"_That _women stepped forward from the darkness. Naruto turned and ran as fast as possible from her form and covered his ears as she began to chuckle, the small sound soon turning to outright laughter at his pitiful attempts at escape. _

_Naruto turned down another lifeless, dark road and came to a stop as he came face to face with her again. Naruto tried to turn, to move but mobility was suddenly beyond him. He screamed at his body to move but the limbs simply refused to obey him. She was suddenly in front of him, caressing his cheek in a mocking show of affection. "You weren't trying to run, were you my little monster?" The moment her fingertips touched his possession marks Naruto felt her vicious lust run through his body, her icy hatred and desperate need to inflict pain on him. _

_The emotions were painful to bare and it caused him to scream out, the sound echoing along the empty roads. Suddenly the background began to morph and twist until they both stood in a room. He was suddenly forced backwards onto a bed. He screamed and fought, but the women in front of him only smiled. Her lips formed words and suddenly his world was enveloped in a fierce pain, as if his insides were being burned and ripped out, he arched his back in agony and a scream ripped through him. He felt the immense pounding of his heart as the feeling of acid being poured on top of the organ caused it to fluctuate and cry out to be released from his chest. From the shadows, a second female voice laughed merrily, grass green eyes peering through the darkness in amusement. _

_The black haired women took her time while he withered in agony beneath her, slowly taking off his clothes item by item. Then both women moved forward and lay on either side of him, slowly stripping themselves. Naruto tried to rise, to run, to fight, but she simply whispered those hateful words again and the pain intensified tenfold. Naruto clenched the bed sheets and stiffened when cold fingers touched his stomach. He opened his eyes to see her face directly in front of his, but her eyes were looking at his stomach, the seal visible as always… _

"_Tsk, tsk, tsk. You naughty child; you've gained quite a bit of weight haven't you?" Her fingers gently pinched the skin on his stomach. "I liked seeing your ribs," she whispered in his ear, "liked seeing your hip bone, but now their covered in fat. Been indulging yourself a little too much?" She placed her unclothed knee against his stomach and pressed down hard, until he let out a gasp of intense pain. "Lose it, or I'll make sure every night you don't spend with me is filled with pain," She whispered, black hair falling in front of her and onto his chest. "Stop that," the grass green eyed women said, "I want to have fun too you know. Stop hogging the little slut."_

_Naruto suddenly felt himself falling through the bed and tumbling down a dark drop before his body collided with something. Trembling he pushed himself up to find himself near team 7's training grounds, thankfully fully clothed again. He stumbled to his feet, pain racking his body and trying with all his might to push his emotions beneath his feet and gain control. He was sinking beneath the surface again, water rising around him. He wanted, no, he __needed__ his anchors. He needed the people he considered family right now even if they would never consider him to be part of theirs. Naruto sloshed through the rising water to team 7's bridge where they all stood. Naruto could have cried he was so happy to see them. Just being there with them gave him strength to continue on. Their images were shadowed though, gray and dark like everything else in this world. _

"_Kaka sensei? Sakura chan? Sasuke teme?" Naruto called hesitantly. It was as if the on switch was suddenly clicked by an unknown source. They came to life, their features full of life as they turned to him. Naruto couldn't help but give a grateful sigh of relief as he moved faster through the water till he stood on the bridge; it's frame just above the water line. Suddenly though their faces contorted in disgust as they finally saw him, the dark looks causing the blonde to freeze and his heart to beat faster in panic. Naruto's smile fell as they stared at him with the same hatred of the rest of the village. "We know Naruto," Kakashi said in his deadly soft voice. "K-k-know?" Naruto asked softly in confusion. "We know what a filthy whore you are." Sasuke said harshly, voice filled with disgust and loathing. Naruto took a step back in shocked horror. "I… I didn't… it wasn't my choice…" Naruto stuttered out, voice trembling as he tried to hold back a sob. "Yeah right," Sakura said mockingly, "I bet you liked the attention! Always grabbing for it like some sick wretch." Naruto took another step back, biting his lip as he tried to keep himself together. "I never wanted anything like that. I tried so hard to fight her but she…" Kakashi interrupted him. "Not only are you useless as a shinobi and teammate, but you're a filthy worthless slut," Kakashi said, shaking his head in disappointment. Naruto wrapped his arms around himself as his shaking got worse. "Please stop it," Naruto whispered brokenly. _

"_You were never meant to be on this team any ways," Sakura said coldly. "Think about it! Kakashi Hatake the famous copy cat ninja and one of the elite Jounin in Konoha, Sasuke Uchiha the rookie of the year and star pupil that everyone wanted to train, and me, Sakura Haruno the highest ranking Kunoichi of our class." Naruto took a step back, his feet dipping into water. "Then there's the forth member of our team, you, Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto took another step back into the cold liquid. "The worthless, no talent imbecile who never manages to do anything right at all and only screws up our missions!" Naruto didn't even realize he was moving backwards as the water reached his knees. "Please stop," His voice was shrinking. _

_Kakashi looked at Naruto in contempt as he spoke. "You were a mistake from the very beginning. The council only put you on this team because you are a Jinchuuriki who they wanted me to keep an eye on." Naruto felt the water splash against his hips. "I couldn't wait to get rid of you the first chance I got during the finals. All your whining for me to teach you this and that, you were pathetic. So useless at the same time, not able to understand any of my explanations, you gave me headaches just thinking about trying to explain anything to someone so unbelievably stupid." Naruto felt the icy water swallow his stomach up in its grip. "Please stop," barely a whisper now. _

_Sasuke shook his head in ill concealed hatred. "Filthy, disgusting little bitch, you really thought that I'd consider you to be my friend? You think you deserve to have friends? You'd make us all incredibly happy if you just killed yourself instead of constantly bothering us." Naruto felt the water sweep up against his heart and continue to rise. "Everything about you makes me sick. Your weak, a nuisance to everybody and annoying as all hell, I can't wait to become a Chuunin just so I won't ever have to see your face again." The water washed over him and he let it take him whole, tears mixed up within the icy liquid. His anchors to the shore were what tugged him to the bottom of the ocean floor now. He felt numb, hollow to the very core, he wanted nothing more than to die and get it all over with. Naruto took a huge breath and let the water into his lungs…_

"Ahhh!" Naruto sat up from bed, beads of sweat falling down his face as he gasped for air. A nightmare- a realistic nightmare that combined his memories and fears. "Huf, huf, huf." Naruto peered around his dark room and brought his knees to his chest as his hands shook uncontrollably. Moonlight illuminated the room in an eerie glow, clouds causing strange shadows to dance upon the walls in a rhythmic fashion. At the end of the bed a brown furred dog lay with pointed ears, not unlike a wolfs. "Guruko," Naruto whispered softly. The dog didn't stir, obviously tired out by the day of keeping up with Naruto with an injured leg. Naruto bit his lip and slipped out of bed, heading toward the bathroom. Naruto gently closed the door behind him and let his body slide down the door before he shakily reached for one of the drawers.

* * *

Guruko woke up to the sound of a merry tune. Light streamed through the curtains in an irritatingly bright way that only the sun could accomplish. Grumpily, Guruko got out of bed and stretched, yawning contentedly as he felt his back pop into place. Guruko found walked through the curtain that Naruto used as his bedroom door into the kitchen to find Naruto sitting at the table with his mother's book in his hands, pouring over the instructions and adding notes here and there. "Morning sleepy head," Naruto called cheerfully. Naruto wore one of his long sleeved shirts again with his usual orange jacket over it.

_"You call the break of dawn to be sleeping in? Sheesh." _Guruko muttered darkly as he lay beside the table. Naruto laughed good heartily and put the dog's food bowl beside him.

"Let's see, it's Tuesday and I'm bringing you in to Hana-san on Thursday. All be busy all weekend with work which means if I want to get Sakura's birthday present I'm gonna have to do it today or tomorrow since her birthdays on Monday. Can you believe she'll be fourteen?" Naruto asked as he poured some tea for himself, which Guruko noted he did not add sugar to for some reason.

_"Yes, I can, she's been a Gennin for a year and a half now so it's the right age." _Guruko said with another yawn. "Hehehe, she's nearly a year older than me and Sasuke's at least nine months older than me." Naruto commented thoughtfully.

"_So your birthdays coming up soon?" _Naruto shook his head at the dog and laughed.

"No, it's already past, it was a month ago." Guruko's eyes widened.

_"__Kakashi never said anything though, and he always summons us for your guy's birthdays." _Guruko said in bewilderment. Naruto visibly flinched and looked away.

"It's alright, I know why we didn't celebrate it. My birthday's also the day that Kakashi's sensei died. You know, the whole Kyuubi attacking the village and got sealed into me thing?" Naruto said and laughed loudly as he started to walk around the room and water his plants. Both Guruko and Naruto knew that the laugh was forced and painful though.

While walking through the crowds of Konoha Guruko took to snapping viciously at all the people who got to close or glared at the blonde as he passed. Naruto reprimanded him the whole way but Guruko could hear the hidden relief in the preteens- no, he was thirteen now- the teens voice. Guruko was aware that Naruto was a year younger than his classmates because Kakashi once commented that the third Hokage purposely placed Naruto into the academy a year early to get him out of the foster homes faster.

"A couple weeks ago, me and Sasuke saw Sakura looking in the window of one of the shops here. She was looking at a necklace with a silver chain and this heart shaped pendant with light green emerald around its edge. They had lots of the same pendant's with different colors but that was the one she was looking at." Naruto was telling him as they walked. Guruko was sure it was just Naruto's way of blocking out all the whispers, rather than his want to talk so much. "Me and Sasuke agreed that I'd get that for her and that he'd get her something else, since he didn't want her misunderstanding it as some love confession with the heart and all." Naruto said cheerfully.

* * *

Training that day panned out like all other days. Sasuke and Sakura sparring this time around while Naruto, once again on his own, worked on his chakra control. This time, instead of simply sitting on the water doing the leaf exercise Naruto stood on his hands, balancing carefully atop the water while having a leaf stuck to every part of his body. The new exercise failed miserably the first ten or so times, much to Guruko's amusement who sat on the edge of the water watching. By the afternoon though, the blonde stayed completely balanced for an hour strait.

When they called it a break for the afternoon and were all about to go get lunch, Sakura tapped Naruto on the shoulder, who flinched at the unexpected contact and caused her to frown at him. "Naruto, Tsunade-sama wants you to meet her in her office for some reason. She said I should tell you the first time we took a break today." Sakura said in a 'I know you did something stupid again, didn't you ?' voice. Naruto stared blankly at her before his gave fell on Guruko and a look of understanding fell on his features, then turned to horror, which then decided to pale to nearly white, before finally settling on a grin so wide, that only the immensely unobservant or uncaring could not see it as a complete fake. While both Sasuke and Sakura saw that it was fake, they believed that Naruto was merely being his normal dramatic self and so did not attempt to ask or question it.

"Well then, I should probably go see her then," Naruto said cheerfully, "Do you mind taking Guruko with you guys? I've got a feeling Baa-chan's not gonna be in a good mood, so its best I not bring the injured animal with me. I sorta broke one of her vases the other day and she's pretty mad."

_'Wow, lies just fly right out of your mouth, don't they?' _Guruko thought irritably as Sasuke glared at him but picked Guruko up.

"Your completely useless, you know that?" Sasuke snapped. Naruto flinched, but turned too quickly for his two teammates to see. Guruko growled threateningly at Sasuke who looked down at the dog in surprise. Naruto jogged away from them, his hand waving behind him in farewell. Sasuke snorted and joined Sakura who happily hopped behind him, glad to gain some alone time with the Uchiha.

Later that afternoon when Naruto finally rejoined his team Guruko could tell that something bad happened and guiltily avoided the blonde's eyes as he knew it was his fault. Sasuke and Sakura didn't seem to notice the put out expression though and just continued to spar until Sasuke managed to get a good hit on the pinkette and she forfeited. Sasuke turned to Naruto with a superior smirk on his face. "Come on Naruto, let's spar." Sasuke demanded. Sakura froze and looked up from the bottle of water she'd been about to take a sip of.

"You two aren't allowed to spar without Kakashi sensei around to monitor you two!" Sakura said sternly as she remembered the 'spar' from the hospital roof top just three weeks ago.

"We won't use our A-rank or B-rank jutsu then," Sasuke said with a smirk. "No Chidori, no Rasengan, no fire jutsu or shadow clones. What do you say Naruto? A simple Taijutsu match?" Sasuke continued, baiting the blonde. Naruto looked away from them, knowing what Sasuke was doing. They both knew Naruto's Taijutsu was horrendous and both knew that Sasuke spent the month with Kakashi working specifically on that and the Chidori.

Sasuke had become so angry with him since the spar on the roof that he took every opportunity to show Naruto just how much better he was at everything. Naruto shook his head tiredly. He couldn't take Sasuke's games right now, not after the awful argument he had with Tsunade. Sasuke glared angrily at the blonde as Sakura sighed in relief. "Why not? You can't tell me that you're that tired after only a little chakra training. You're an even bigger idiot than I thought you were." Sasuke said in disgust. A deeply hurt look entered Naruto's eyes but Sasuke ignored it and walked away with hands in pockets.

"I… Why don't you take that stick you got so high up your ass out, you prick?" Naruto shouted out after Sasuke as he turned and stomped away through the trees, Guruko quickly following behind him.

* * *

When they entered far enough back in the woods Naruto rounded on Guruko, a fierce look of anger and betrayal on his face. His fists were clenched till crescent moons formed in the palm of his hands and blood slowly began to drip down from his fingers to the ground below. _"Naruto," _Guruko began.

"How dare you…" Naruto hissed. "I let you into my home and took care of you just as Kakashi asked and you turn around and repay me by telling Baa-chan about my personal life?" The killing intent was monumental but focused, barely contained in the little area they stood in, Guruko fought hard against it just to speak.

"_Your being horribly mistreated and hurt by shinobi of this village! It needs to be stopped!" _Guruko growled out.

Naruto seethed, "And why is that any of your business?" Naruto asked angrily. "I'm a Jinchuuriki for God sake, we're treated like the plague no matter where we go or what we do and nothing you or Tsu… Baa-chan does will change that unless I make people see me for my accomplishments and deeds. Nothing! You think you growling at people's gonna make them stop hating me? It might make me feel better for two seconds but in the end it's worse off than if you'd done nothing because then their angry with me, not you, but me. You think Baa-chan setting up new laws or orders is gonna stop any one from hurting me? Let me tell you something, the law that Jiji, the third, made only hurt me!"

"_You work three different jobs. Your exhausted all the time, no matter how hard you try to hide it. I can see it." _Guruko said quietly. Naruto looked about ready to throttle him.

"I have never failed a mission because I was tired," Naruto spat, "I've completed all the assignments given to team 7 and I've only missed training every once in a great while. What happens during my own free time is my business and no one else's!" It was Guruko's turn to glare at Naruto.

_"I don't care about the stupid missions! Naruto you can't keep doing this to yourself. It's not right that your rent is so high and that the only things you can afford to eat is rice and ramen. It's not right that a thirteen year old works at a BAR to make ends meet!" _Naruto shook his head as if he was in an argument with a child. "The world isn't a nice place, you either have to grow up or die and I decided that I slightly like living." Naruto snapped.

"_Then why don't you make living a bit easier for yourself and simply ask for help," _Guruko asked, burning with curiosity. Naruto glared at him but the look was less fierce than last time and far more fearful. "I told you, I don't need anyone's help, especially not Kaka sensei's or Baa-chan's." Naruto said. _"Fine. You don't need it but would definitely be better off with it." _Guruko sighed tiredly. Naruto shook his head stubbornly.

"Do you know what that so called help is? Baa-chan threatened to get Ibiki to interrogate me for the man's name! She threatened to investigate and destroy everyone that was connected to that man in even the slightest way… Do you think that helps me? You think all those people being punished is going to help me in any way possible?" Naruto asked, an icy touch to his voice. "When people get punished because they've done something wrong to me then they just blame that on me too and slowly the people become even angrier at me until even worse things happen! Everything has consequences even when you're doing something for the good of someone. Things simply never work out the way you want," Naruto growled darkly.

"_You sound like that Hyuuga you fought in the finals that Kakashi talked about. Didn't you convince HIM not to talk so much about fate and destiny?" _Guruko argued back. Naruto chuckled at that before it grew into full blown laughter.

"I don't believe in fate or destiny. You create your own paths and should never give up, but that's just it, your going about it the wrong way. I'm also realistic. I know how to fight, I know how to win and it's not the way YOUR going about it. You don't fight an entire village with brute strength; it doesn't work. I'm not giving up I'm just trying to fight in a way that might eventually win and it seems that your determined to ruin it for me," Naruto said tiredly, for the first time allowing his exhaustion to show through.

_"Naruto, you can't let them hurt you like this," _Guruko finally said as he limped up to the blonde, and nudged his muzzle against his leg. Naruto bent down and stared strait into the dog's eyes.

"Guruko, you've got to believe me, how I'm fighting is the only way that works in a situation like this. And I don't let them hurt me, I fight hard against them when they corner me but… it's difficult to win when your opponents have such a powerful advantage against you. I might be losing a lot of the battles but the losses are small when I look at the bigger war that I am winning." Naruto said with a small smile on his face.

"_Can't you just give me the names of the people that hurt you?" _Guruko asked quietly. Naruto snorted.

"Take the list of citizens and shinobi, extract about ten names maybe, and you've got it." Guruko gave an annoyed look at the blonde who smirked at him before huffing and limping back toward the training grounds. A smile tugged at Naruto's lips as he got back to his feet. "Guruko!" Naruto called. The dog looked back at the blonde with curiosity. "There's something I want to show you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone…"

**BN: Ooh, Cliffhanger! I wonder what will happen next? Who knows… Well, I do (or will when I read ahead- lucky me!), and so does Windy, and I guess you will too, soon! Now, everyone review now, and give Windy her props for making another fantastic chapter and a successful cliffhanger!**


	7. Orange Monster

Disclaimer: The world will end in 2012 [Rolls eyes and laughs hysterically] and I will still continue to not own Naruto.

A/N: A huge thankful to my poor beta who was terribly sick but is all better now!!!

Chapter 7: The orange monster

Guruko breathed in surprise as he gazed at the run-down, but beautiful house before him. The house was past the training ground that sat in the shadow of the mountainside to the left of the Hokage monument. In fact, the house sat just within the borders of Konohagakure, hidden inside the dense forest trees. It was of good size, sturdy material and a unique design, fitted with arched doorways and windows along with a rounded balcony that opened up from the living room quarters. Despite all that the windows in every room stood dejectedly with cracked and missing glass and the roof sported many holes and shingles falling to pieces. The paint, a hideous puke green, peeled away in large patches all around the house and various parts appeared to be in deep need of repair.

Naruto landed gracefully on the ground in a crouch from the last branch of a series of trees he'd been traveling by. He gently placed Guruko on the ground as his sight too fell on the building. "Great. Isn't it?" Naruto asked quietly, as if afraid his loud voice would destroy the image before them.

_"It needs a lot of work," _Guruko commented dryly. Naruto frowned at the dog in annoyance.

"Pessimistic. It does need work but in a few short months I'm gonna own it." Naruto said as he walked toward the house. Guruko limped behind him with a frown on his face.

_"Why so far from the village?" _Guruko asked. Naruto gave him an 'are you stupid?' look before turning back to the house to which Guruko grimaced and followed him.

Naruto stepped gingerly inside and around the fallen chandelier to stand in the middle of the living room, his eyes wondered the entirety of the placed before settling on Guruko. "I asked Jiji to make sure no one buys it before I'm old enough to. You have hold a job and if you're a shinobi be of the age of thirteen because that's the age that Gennin begin to take up more high paying missions and would be able to make the house payments," Naruto explained as he moved around the place.

_"Then why haven't you moved out yet?" _Naruto stopped dead in his tracks and looked at Guruko for a long moment. When he finally spoke Naruto chose his words suspiciously carefully.

"I… got behind on some… bills and can't do anything until there paid. I should have it completely paid off in a few short months."

For some reason Guruko found a chill run through him as he remembered the words of the women. _"…Then you'll be behind in your bills again… that wouldn't be very nice now would it? Hospital bills, rent and other things…" She asked softly. Naruto continued to cough, the blood coming without stop, tears of pain unwillingly dripping from the blonde's eyes._ Did the women know about Naruto wanting the home? Had she hung Naruto's want to be away from Konoha over his head to get what she wanted or was something going on that he didn't know about? Why did she want Naruto to come see her? Did Naruto even go? He couldn't remember Naruto ever mentioning that he'd gone.

"_Naruto, shouldn't the orphan's stipend been enough to pay all your bills and for your supplies?" _Guruko asked. Naruto stiffened but continued to walk around the dirty, run down living room.

"A lot of times the stipend wouldn't get to me and even then it only paid for so much. Plus, I haven't gotten anything since I've become a Gennin. 'The boy is old enough to pay for everything himself now,' the council had said." Naruto replied as he carefully began up righting a table that lay on its side.

"_They wouldn't get to you?" _Guruko asked incredulously. Naruto shrugged.

"A Chunin would bring it to me, but a lot of times they simply wouldn't show up. It's in the past now though, before I even got onto team 7 so it doesn't matter." Naruto said. Guruko sputtered.

_"How did you pay your rent? Or get food or supplies?" _Guruko asked, the dog could feel his brown hair turning gray that very moment, he was sure that he would be as gray as Kakashi before the man returned. Naruto shrugged.

"I've had my job at the bar since I was about ten and my shipping job every weekend since I was eight or nine. I got by…" Naruto said casually with a wave of his hand.

Guruko felt his heart skip several beats. _'Eight?' _Guruko thought in horror. _"Why didn't you go to the Hokage? Why didn't you try asking for help?" _Guruko asked. Naruto ran his hand through his blonde locks, absently tugging at a strand as he looked up at the ceiling.

"When I was younger, Jiji had these people working in the main office of the central building. They would always stop me from ever seeing him no matter what I would do and they would…" Naruto trailed off, as his eyes got glassy.

_"They would what?" _Guruko asked in a growl. Naruto shook his head and smiled that smile that he put on in front of his team, the fake one that made the dog cringe each time he saw it. "Nah, don't worry about it, it doesn't matter." Naruto said with a forced laugh.

"Any ways, why is it that we're always talking about me? Why don't you tell me some embarrassing story about Kakashi or more about you?" Naruto asked.

_"You're changing the topic." _Guruko said. Naruto shrugged and smiled teasingly at the dog.

"Jeez Guruko your acting all obsessed, maybe we should talk about your abnormal sudden need to know about someone you've only been hanging out with for a week and a half. I mean, do you do this to all the people Kakashi has babysitting you? If so then I'm gonna have to talk to Kakashi about getting you into some type of doggie therapy." Naruto said, casually placing his hands behind his head and waltzing off.

_"What?! Babysitting? Therapy? How dare you…" _Subject change was a beautiful success.

* * *

Neji Hyuuga wiped the sweat from the back of his neck as he finished his family training session with Hinata and Hiashi as he headed toward the branch section of the Hyuuga estate. The long-haired youth paused as he passed the large kitchen area and picked up a basket of fruit and a set of flowers. It was one of his chores in the household to make sure that fresh food always be placed on the table and flowers replaced in the vase of the dining room that all guests were designated to sit while waiting for whomever they held business with. Just one of the many little things that the Hyuuga clan did in order to keep its title of 'most prestigious and high standing of the clans.' Neji snorted at the very thought, but he would continue with such tedious tasks none the less. No use making trouble out of nothing.

After finishing, Neji deviated from the branch corridor toward the laundry room, remembering that his close should be ready. Neji did not have to perform too many chores due to the fact that he was also a shinobi. Most people in Konohagakure believed that all members of a clan became shinobi, but the truth was that only about one-third of a clan entered the life of a shinobi. This was done for two reasons: the first being that not all clan members possessed the ability to become shinobi, but rather the genetics to pass on the shinobi abilities. The second reason was to assure that the entire clan would not be killed off performing dangerous shinobi duties. Neji found the system to be a fairly brilliant one, one created by the fourth Hokage after Konoha lost three or four of its clans (including the fourths own) to the third shinobi war. It was due to this that Neji could escape with performing only a minimum amount of choirs.

Two women and a middle aged man were in the midst of a conversation when Neji entered the room; he recognized them immediately as three branch members. "…slightly worries me. The lad's rarely, in the four and a half years I've been working with him, ever missed a day of work unless he'd been on a mission. If the boy wasn't on a mission and he's absent… something stopped him from coming." Raji said softly, the middle aged man sat atop an upturned bucket and leaned against the wall with a frown on his face. Neji walked over to the clean hamper and began to pick through them for his clothes, separated from the women's clothing as an act of common courtesy.

One of the women, a short women with a booming voice named Seilla, crossed her arms over her small chest and sighed tiredly. "I think your really over thinking things Raji, there's a million reasons why the boy didn't show up, no need to jump to the worst possible scenario immediately." Neji silently agreed. The other women, a blonde who'd married into the family before he was born, nodded her head in agreement. Raji rubbed his forehead tiredly.

"Perhaps but… something seemed off about him Saturday. Normally he's asking me a million questions about my family and what not, trying to lighten up the work through conversation or some silly story of his but when he came in he didn't say a word to me all afternoon. Then the next day he doesn't show up?" Raji points out.

Neji folded a pair of pants and placed them on the table. That was very suspicious and did warrant some concern. Neji grimaced as he realized that none of it concerned him at all, he was rudely listening in on another person's conversation, admittedly though it wasn't like he was going to go out in the hallway to fold his clothes just because they were talking. "Well," Yuuri, the blonde women, said thoughtfully, "why don't you just go and check up on him if you're that worried." Raji shrugged helplessly.

"I thought about it, but then I realized that I've never asked him even once where he lives. The thought never even crossed my mind." Raji said sheepishly. Neji mentally slapped his forehead in exasperation. Apparently the women in the room felt the same way.

"Well, it is _him,_ isn't it like common knowledge where he lives." Seilla said quietly. Reji frowned at the women.

"Do you know where he lives?" Raji replied, his voice a bit clipped with something that Neji couldn't quite peg. Anger? Irritation? When both women shook their heads in the negative the man hm'fd and then stood up to toss another batch of dirty clothes in the washing machine.

The blonde women absently tugged her hair in back of her and wrapped it in a hair bow, a few loose hairs falling to the side as she wrinkled her nose in thought. "You know, now that I think about it, if I was in his position I'd do just about anything to make sure no one knows where I live." Neither of the women's companions spoke but both nodded their heads in agreement, sharing a weary look between them. Now that was curious, Neji thought, but he would not be like some girl who goes snooping around where he doesn't belong.

Neji finished up folding the last of his clothes and headed towards the door as the two women also got to work. Raji sighed tiredly as Neji passed him and muttered under his breath. " I do hope that Naruto's okay." Neji stopped in his tracks as that name was uttered and immediately turned around to face the man. Neji looked at him in surprise for a few moments before frowning.

"Naruto… Uzumaki?" Neji asked hesitantly. Raji looked up startled, as if he'd not even noticed that Neji was in the room before that moment.

The middle aged man stared down at him, eyes scrutinizing him with fierceness and a severe frown on his features. "Yes," Reji answered after a rather long pause of hesitation. It was well known by every member of the Hyuuga clan, as well as all of Konoha, that Naruto beat Neji in the finals and the man appeared to be debating whether Neji would be angered that a member of clan associated with the boy.

"Naruto is a comrade I greatly respect, I have no qualms over my defeat by him," Neji said steadily. The man visibly relaxed.

"Good. Boy's got enough problems without your help any way." Raji muttered darkly. Neji's frown deepened.

"What problems?" Neji asked with narrowed eyes. Reji burst into fits of laughter and roughly patted Neji's back, the man was not known for his Hyuuga manner that was for sure.

"The question is what isn't going wrong in the boy's life." Raji answered, voice filled with anger. Neji gracefully stepped forward, then around the washing machine to distance himself from his relative.

"Like what?" Neji asked sternly.

Raji snorted and ticked off points. "Big financial trouble, that's for sure, trouble getting food, trouble medically, trouble keeping clothes on his back I mean the list goes on boy. That kids tough as nails though, has to be really, to have gotten through everything on his own." Neji paled.

"Medical?" Neji asked wearily.

Raji shrugged, his eyes looking sad, "The kid's collapsed several times on the job, burning up like you wouldn't believe. Never late and always gets everything done no matter what but I'll tell you that its downright painful watching him. Offered to do his portion of the work a few times, but the kid doesn't trust anyone, won't let no one help him with anything."

Neji shook his head disbelievingly. "The Chuunin Exams expanded over two months and I never once saw any sign of him being sick." Neji said defiantly. Raji shook his head sadly.

"That kid doesn't allow anyone to see him sick. You got to know to look for it. I accidentally found him when he was in a lot of pain and I've been watching him carefully ever since. You simply can't see it unless you're looking for it. Not only that but when I accidentally caught him it was because my right eye activated in response to a falling crate coming towards me. Unlike you, my eyes only react when there's danger, which is why I'm useless as a shinobi to this family." Raji said quietly.

As the man moved across the room with a stack of clean clothes Raji's leg joints cracked. The man grunted in discomfort before turning back to Neji. The young Hyuuga stood there in the doorway deeply troubled by the mans revelation and unsure of what to do. "You should know something about that boy, he's got a good heart and doesn't like seeing other people hurting. He'd do anything to help someone in need but… you got to be careful about ones like him." Raji warned quietly. Neji blinked, confused by what the man meant, which Raji noted with a nod. "No matter how much pain their in, they'll keep it to themselves, people like him care about everyone around them to the point that they would do anything to help them, but won't accept help themselves. They want to carry all their burdens by themselves just so the people they care about won't have to worry. The self sacrificial ones."

* * *

When they got to the apartment, Naruto swore Guruko to secrecy before pulling a piece of the floor up, the small plank of wood easily moved to the side. Naruto then pulled out a large, black, metal box. Guruko sniffed it and sneezed. _'Old and smelly,' _Guruko thought as he scrunched his nose. That's when Naruto lifted the lid. The dog nearly had a heart attack at the large bundles of money there. Naruto smiled proudly at the dog. "It's my life savings. I've only got a little more to save up before I can finally pay off all my debts." Naruto told the dog as he pulled out a small bound up wad of cash for Sakura's present and slipped it into his pocket.

"_Why is this here?" _Guruko demanded. _"It should be in a bank!" _Naruto closed the box back up and deposited it back under the plank.

"The bank won't let me in the doors. It's not like I can henge because they have a chakra barrier around the banks here to protect against shinobi thieves. I tried to get some help but no one had the time or the patience." Naruto said dejectedly.

"_What about Kakashi?" _Guruko asked. Naruto fiddled with the latch, closing the plank up and hiding the money.

"He didn't have the time to help," Naruto said dismissively. Guruko didn't say anything else about his master, there was no point, he already knew what that meant.

_"Why not just pay off your debts slowly, bit by bit, instead of all at once?" _Guruko asked the human curiously.

"I have been paying my debt off bit by bit but… the people I owe money to are… manipulative and greedy. They don't know about my extra jobs and they don't know I've been saving up. I want to pay it off in one go so they can't say anything or do anything to stop me." Naruto said tiredly.

_"Who are these people and why do you owe them money?" _Guruko asked, nudging his nose against the blondes leg. Naruto smiled crookedly at him.

"That, PUP, is none of your business," Naruto said cheekily.

_"Pup?!"_

* * *

When they entered the market place rather than growl at the people who glared he tried to divert the blondes attention through conversation to which Naruto happily went along with. When they entered the shop Naruto smiled at the storekeeper and received a vial glare of hatred in return. Naruto just kept his smile in place as he set Guruko done beside him. The storekeeper said nothing as Naruto stood there, no welcome or hello of any kind, but still Naruto paused waiting for it because that's what Iruka taught him to do when the man gave him lessons in manners.

Naruto continued to smile and decided to skip Iruka's lesson on pleasantries to get strait to the point. He pointed to the necklace he wanted; the silver chain with a stainless steel heart shaped pendent, light green emerald framing the edge with the center empty for an inscription for both sides. He was going to put her name in the middle of it but now he had a better idea.

The man overcharged him for it, but Naruto didn't argue against it, he did refuse to pay for the necklace until he saw it completely finished the way he wanted it. He'd been manipulated and cheated by too many people in the past to naively give the man his money without the finished results in his hands. The man muttered darkly under his breath but didn't say anything more since he was already getting paid double for the item. Guruko openly spoke of his anger of Naruto being charged nearly twice as much as the already heavy price tag, but Naruto quickly quieted him as they left the store with receipt in hand.

Guruko yawned loudly from within Naruto's hold as they walked back to the apartment building. It was nearly six and if either wanted dinner Naruto would have to hurry in order to be at his work by six-thirty. Naruto stopped suddenly causing Guruko's head to jerk forward from the halt. The dog gave an annoyed huff and glared at Naruto to see the boy staring ahead of them. It was the large man who attacked Naruto before. Naruto's grip on the brown wolf like dog in his arms tightened till Guruko could barely breath. The man said nothing as Naruto hurriedly passed, eyes strait ahead, but Guruko looked back to see a snarl on his face before he turned and walked in the opposite direction.

"_Naruto, who is he?" _Guruko asked the blonde as he closed the door. Naruto ignored him as he walked around the counter and grabbed the dog food. Guruko growled threateningly at the blonde. _"Naruto!" _Naruto poured Guruko's food into his bowl and set it down beside the table. _"Don't ignore me!" _Naruto walked into his room, grabbed his clothes and walked into the bathroom, the door closing with a firm thud. Guruko limped to the bathroom door and scratched at the wood but no sound came from the other side so Guruko sighed and trudged back to the kitchen to start his dinner.

A few minutes later Naruto came out, tying his black bandages over his possession marks. _"So are you going to tell me or ignore me again?" _Guruko asked slowly. Naruto shrugged. "Don't worry about who he is," Naruto said. Guruko sighed in irritation. He knew Naruto would go tight lipped the moment he found out that the dog could talk.

Naruto hurriedly watered his plants before patting Guruko on the head and heading toward the door. _"Aren't you going to eat?" _Guruko demanded, worry lacing his voice. Naruto grimaced.

"It's already 6:20, I'll eat something when I get back." Guruko let out a low angry growl.

_"You barely ate any lunch today! This isn't healthy! You _need_ to eat something now!" _Naruto shrugged and opened the door, giving Guruko a weak smile.

"I'll be fine," Naruto said before closing the door behind him.

Guruko wondered into the bathroom, sniffing around curiously. There was a strange smell coming from the small cubicle room. Normally Naruto left the door closed so the dog rarely ever got to go inside. Guruko shook his head in disbelief, there was no mirror in the bathroom. Now that he thought about it there weren't any mirrors in anywhere in the house at all. The dog looked around, noticing that the smell came from the dirty clothes sitting in the corner. Guruko limped over to it and gently tugged at the horrid orange jacket till it lay sprawled across the tiled floor. Guruko sniffed again. Ewww. Old rotten tomatoes. Bad eggs. Blood. Coffee grounds. And… Yogurt?

'_What in the world?' _Guruko thought as he pawed at the jacket. _'Why didn't I smell this before'? _The dog gave the ugly thing a look of disgust and wrinkled his nose. He would never understand why Naruto wore the hideous thing, even more than that, how Naruto managed to go on missions without getting killed in it. Under Guruko's fiddling the jacket flopped open to reveal the back of the inside. Guruko looked curiously as he saw a word sewed in large letters there.

Guruko began to shudder as he read the word. His whole body shook with anger and confusion. Why would Naruto wear something like this? Naruto hated that word more than any other in the world. It didn't make sense at all. Guruko dragged the article of clothing into the kitchen in front of the door and waiting for Naruto to get home. When the door opened at 11:45 Naruto wearily let out a sigh before giving Guruko a smile… and stopping dead in his tracks. The jacket was spread out with both sides wide open, revealing the word sewed on the insides back for the world to see.

Naruto just stood there and stared at it in shock, the word glaring out at him. _**MONSTER. **_Guruko's tail twitched angrily as he glared at Naruto. _"What the hell is this?" _The dog demanded furiously. Naruto slowly closed the door, his eyes never leaving the jacket on the floor.

"Why were you going through my dirty laundry?" Naruto asked weakly as he began to remove his work clothes. Guruko's claws dug into the wooden floor, lines marking it forever.

"_Don't fuck around!" _Guruko snapped. Naruto flinched, then shrugged helplessly at the dog.

"It doesn't matter," Naruto said tiredly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

_"Damn you and your 'it doesn't matter' speech. According to you nothing matters! It doesn't matter that someone hurt you. It doesn't matter that you hardly have any food in the house. It doesn't matter that your not allowed to go anywhere because of the people of this village. It doesn't matter that you were fucking raped! What does matter to you Naruto? Will it matter to you if you fucking die? Will that matter or are you just going to shrug in your grave while everyone you care about is hurting and say 'it doesn't matter?'" _Guruko took several deep breaths as his anger slowly receded and he realized how harsh his words were. He looked at Naruto whose eyes were filled with a deep hurt. The blonde couldn't say anything, so he just shrugged again, avoiding the dog's eyes.

"_How do you think Kakashi would feel if he knew that you were wearing this?" _Guruko asked, his voice far softer than before. Naruto sat down on the floor in front of Guruko and gently picked up the jacket, staring at the bright orange clothe blankly.

"You know," Naruto began quietly, "I hate the color orange." Guruko gaped at him.

_"Then why…" _Guruko began but Naruto interrupted him.

"Shinobe clothing is more expensive than civiline clothes, the shopkeepers demand that you prepay for your uniforms and the academy requires you to have it all done before you enter your last year." Naruto said, his voice fading as he stared at the jacket.

"_But… you have the money! I've seen it, so why would you buy _that_?" _Guruko demanded. Naruto laughed but it was bitter.

"I ordered a big black hooded jacket with long blue sleeves and general black shinobe pants that would have lots of pockets. I thought it would look really cool." The blonde's hands clenched around the cloth. "I paid a lot of money for it, put a lot of thought into what I wanted. When I opened the box and pulled this out…" Naruto paused for a long moment, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "The shopkeeper purposely designed it to look like a clown's clothes, he looked me strait in the eyes and told me he hoped it would kill me on a mission, that an enemy nin would find me an easy target. I was so angry. I threw the box at him, we argued, yelled. I demanded my money back and he wouldn't give it to me. Showed me the paper work in my own handwriting with all the orders there and said there was nothing I could do. I don't know how he changed what I wrote and I still don't know how he did it. I left the shop, took the clothes with me, I didn't want him using the material for someone elses order." Naruto's hands loosened and the jacket fell onto the blondes lap.

"I tried going to other shops but… most wouldn't let me in or overcharged me so much that I couldn't afford it and… I didn't want to go through that again. Getting the shinobi clothing was a big grade in the academy for our fourth year. The time came that I either had to wear the clothes I bought or fail the grade and I couldn't' afford having the grade failed. I…" Naruto's voice cracked. "I didn't even know about the word until I went to put it on. I've been called a monster since I can remember, when I was little I thought I deserve the name and when I got older I started to hate everyone around me, so much that I wished they'd just die." Naruto's hands shook and the blonde refused to look at the dog that stared back at him in silence.

"I… I didn't want to let the man know he won so I… I pretended I loved it and walked into class like it was the coolest thing in the world. They all had a good laugh at me, Iruka was so angry and lectured me about it after class. I blew him off, telling him it was the greatest color in the world. He told me I was an idiot and that it would get me killed. That was one of the only times in the academy that I truly wanted to just break down and cry." Naruto said quietly.

Guruko didn't know what to say or do, he just stood there in unbelieving shock. Naruto dragged himself to his feet, leaving the jacket behind, and headed to bed without another word. When Guruko finally willed himself into the bedroom it was to find that Naruto was already fast asleep. Guruko smelt the distink smell of saltwater, as if the young shinobi shed a few tears as he drifted off to sleep. So shocked by the story was he that the dog failed to notice Naruto didn't eat dinner.

* * *

"Tsunade-sama," Izumo bowed respectfully before the dark blonde haired women before him, a weary look on his face as the morning rays shifted steadily through the window. The argument between herself and the jinchuuriki the day before had left the women in a foul mood that no sane human beign would willingly tread through. It took all day and through the night for Shizune to get a handle on the female Hokage and only after a heavy dose of alcohol. Whoever it was who'd dared to lay a hand on the boy would be shoved through a peep hole into the seven levels of hell and then down to the eighth level were, Izumo imagined, there would be tiny little replicas of Tsunade with evil grins on their faces.

This particular picture made it only that much harder to not shudder and run away from the women instead of handing her the report he'd received just as he was entering the office. She raised an eyebrow at him for his hesitance and Izumo gulped. "I have a report for you." Izumo began slowly. The women's eyebrow visibly twitched. "Yes," Tsunade drawled, "I could never have deducted that from the piece of paper you have in your hands with big red letters at the top saying 'report.'" Izumo flinched, apparently someone was still in a nasty mood. Izumo straitened and took a deep, deep breath. "It's a report from a civilian about an incident that occurred yesterday afternoon. The women was quite upset about what she saw and wanted you to know immediately." Izumo said, pausing momentarily to mentally prepair himself.

"And why would an 'incident' that has to do with civilines concern me Izumo-kun? Why are you wasting my time with things that can be handled by… pretty much every person within this building and a good amount outside. What makes this so important?" Tsunade growled in irritation as she rubbed her forhead. Izumo shifted his weight from his right to his left foot. "Well… it involves… Uzumaki… Naruto." Izumo finally relented. The women in front of him stiffened. Izumo tightly shut his eyes as the women sprang out of her seat and snatched the report from his fingers. He began to edged toward the door as the women read, hoping to get out before it happened.

Too late. Killing intent filled the air to the point that Izumo had a difficult time breathing. The man stopped moving, it was safer that way now, a moving person in this situation was liable to have an object thrown their way and land them in an immense headache or the hospital. "Shizune!" The small black haired women burst through the doors, hair sticking out of place as if she'd been sleeping yet eyes wide awake and ready for anything. Tsunade thrusts the paper into the younger womens hands. "It happened just after he left this office. Get this man described by a civilian women within this room before the hour is over. I'm gong to go speak with the women herself." Tsunade said as she brushed by Izumo. The Hokage's assitent read over the document, eyes widening in disbelief before anger clouded her features. She quickly followed after her superior.

As both women disappeared from sight Izumo let out a lengthy held breath. Yes, the man who decided to dump his filthy trash out the window on top of the passing jinchuuriki would pay for such mistreatment. He almost felt sorry for the poor basterd. Almost. Ever since Uzumaki Naruto defeated the sand's Jinchuuriki for the village many people's view of the boy changed. Even his indifference to boy turned to a certain level of awe. There was still quite a few people that hated the small blonde though and Izumo felt that it would take a miracle for those to change their hearts. Luckily for the jailer the Hokage herself saw the boy as her brother and those of which she found guilty of hurting Naruto quickly found their way into her clutches.

When Tsunade arrived she immediately replaced all those who worked within the Hokage tower, since the council had been steadily filling the place with their own people and removing the those that the third trusted through carefully planned methods. Lady Tsunade would not allow that to happen though, any person that so much as looked at the Jinchuuriki wrongly was bodily thrown out of the tower, no 'your fired' being necessary.

The Jounin remembered the look on the boy's face the first time this happened with a great amount of sadness. The normally happy and loud Gennin had been replaced with a stunned and confused twelve year old who couldn't seem to understand that someone had actually, willingly stood up for him. It had been a very harsh realization for the Jounin that the kid who'd protected them all from an immensely powerful enemy expected his own people to turn a blind eye on his mistreatment and simply allow it to continue. What really shook the Jounin was the thought that if the same thing had happened before the Sand/Sound invasion, he really would have not even paid attention to it. He, like everyone else, would have let the man shove the blonde into the wall. Would have let the man insult the young shinobi for standing in his way into the office. Would have simply left on his marry way after glancing at the boy, leaning against the wall, staring angrily at the floor.

Instead, Izumo had taken a second look and angrily grabbed the man by his shoulder as Shizune stood protectively in front of the boy and Tsunade let the wrath of hell fall upon the man. Naruto had looked up, shock written on his features, as the two women came to his aide. They'd not seen his face because they'd had their backs to him at the time. Not Izumo though. He'd seen it and felt disgusted with himself. How many times, he wondered, had similar instances taken place and no one done anything? They'd been allowing such horrible treatment for the entirety of the boy's twelve, now thirteen, years of life to take place. It had been so natural to just completely ignore the boy's existence for so long, to not even notice when something wrong was taking place.

Izumo took a breather just outside the office on one of the benches as he thought about the argument yesterday between the young shinobi and Hokage. He, Kotetsu and Shizune had been studiously performing their duties of paper work while the shouting had been going on, certainly not purposefully listening in on the conversation at the edge of the door like some silly academy children would do, the two blondes had merely been talking very loudly. Izumo frowned. From what he gathered the Jinchuuriki had been hiding the fact that he got sick a lot and someone had hurt him pretty bad. Tsunade-sama wanted to enter him into the hospital immediately, but the short preteen had stubbornly argued against it saying that he was healed from the attack already.

When the women insisted that they needed to find out why he was always sick, Naruto began claiming that the third knew about it and that it was no big deal, just something he had to deal with. Tsunade demanded to know what it was and Naruto had called upon his rights as a citizen of Konoha to keep his private life private. It was valid. The boy's guardian had been the third Hokage and since the man had died and Naruto had been within the shinobi ranks before his death Naruto held the right of privacy as long as the sickness did not interfere with his shinobi duties. Currently there was absolutely no evidence to prove that there was any effects on his everyday duties so Tsunade could not forcibly bring him into a hospital without breaking some major laws. Not only that, but since Naruto was a shinobi then he had the right, as an underage shinobi of thirteen, to choose whether a new guardian would be assigned to him or not. Naruto had chosen not to have one and thus was completely in control of whether he had to go to the hospital or not.

Izumo would admit that the kid certainly knew about the law, something that would come in handy if he did one day become Hokage. Hell it was useful for Chuunin. There certainly weren't a lot of new Chuunin who could work in the Hokage tower but Izumo would say Naruto would definitely be ready the moment he made the rank. If Naruto had been ignorant to it, then Tsunade could have simply bluffed the right to bring him in and Naruto would not have been the wiser.

They'd argued back and forth for quite awhile, but Tsunade-sama never managed to get Naruto to tell her anything else. Both she and Shizune had begun searching through the thirds records for any information on Naruto, but as of yet had not discovered anything to do with an illness or much else. Naruto's records were S-ranked after all. Izumo sighed tiredly. That wasn't to say there wasn't any information about it, only that there was a vast amount of information to go through. Since no one had been able to talk to the third and ask him where everything was and everyone who'd worked in the building before hand was now fired it left Tsunade with a great deal of unsorted work.

Izumo felt a bad foreboding about all of this. Until recently he'd not thought that the small boy's treatment had been that bad. Then he'd started to pay attention instead of his previous indifference. Just small things here and there that didn't seem right when Naruto would visit the Hokage, which he often did for numerous reasons. The unsure and weary look the boy got when he merely waved to him with a smile. The tiny flinch if he got a little too close. The utter surprise when he would ask the boy how he was and what he was up to. And the look. Every now and then Izumo would find himself being stared at with the look. Icy blue eyes watching carefully, analyzing his every move for something, anything that appeared threatening. Izumo shuddered.

How would it feel to have grown up constantly wondering if the people around you were trustworthy? If you had to consider every person around you before you even spoke? If everyone around you hated you enough to wish for your death? Izumo knew he'd not have made it and wondered each time he saw the blonde how he managed it. Kotetsu, the coward that he is, stepped around the corner and gingerly took a seat beside him. The moment Uzumaki's name came up the younger man had handed him the paper and disappeared, leaving him to face _her._

"So? How'd she take it?"

"The man will be in her office in a few."

"…"

"…"

"Should I call the hospital to see if they have rooms available?"

"Nah."

"Ibiki?"

"No."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"So the morgue it is then…"

**BN: Ugh, sorry for the lateness of the chapter, everyone, but it was my, The Epitome of Eccentricity's, fault entirely. I was sick, **_**really **_**sick, and was unable to go online to beta this. Here it is now, however, so I hope you enjoyed it!**


	8. Two knecklaces

Disclaimer: College is hard. Owning Naruto is even harder. Thus… I do not own Naruto.

Naruto: Windy's got an announcement! No… not bad like usual… this is ACTUALLY good news people! So pay attention!

Windschild8178: As a great beta once said… cough*Eccentricity*cough… Two heads are better than one! A second beta has joined the group for patching up Accidental Companions and this bit is their combined effort to fix my horrific grammatical work!

Please welcome… one sec… Don't know how to spell it… DON'T LAUGH AT ME I'M TRYING! Okay… Cheerful Regression! --Windy weeps-- I can't believe people actually like my work enough to do this for me! I really would like to thank The Epitome of Eccentricity and Cheerful Regression for helping me with this fic. You guys are AWSOME!

Windschild8178: I'm American and have no clue about Japanese money so here's what I'm gonna do.

_American money_

_$10 [ten dollars] Not that much_

_$50 [Fifty dollars] Decent amount of money, it would pay for three people's dinner at a __decent__ restaurant._

_$100 [A hundred dollars] Enough to pay for a family of 7's dinner at a __decent__ restaurant._

**Chapter 8: Two necklaces**

Guruko gently tested his leg, slowly putting a little more weight on it before taking a few unsteady steps. It was Thursday afternoon and they'd just gotten back to the apartment from the Inuzuka compound where Hana Inuzuka had taken off his cast and declared him fit, with the precaution of taking it easy for the next few days. The young woman vehemently told Naruto that if there was anything that seemed out of sorts with the dog that he could take him to her anytime.

All three students of Kakashi had decided to cut short training for the day after Naruto and Sasuke had gotten into yet another argument that almost came to fists. Sakura demanded that they cool off and neither of the boys could disagree with her. Naruto angrily stomped off, and despite the fact that he'd practiced that very morning, took up his kunai and performed target practice at a nearby training field for several hours. The dog had watched uneasily as Naruto tore at the trees in a vengeance until the young shinobi could barely stand with exhaustion. Not once in the hundreds of throws had the blond missed either. Every kunai hit its mark, even the most difficult of targets.

Afterwards they'd gone to the dog's appointment, though the walk was incredibly slow due to the fact that Naruto was exhausted, and it was painfully quiet since the young shinobi killed all attempts at conversation by ignoring Guruko. Guruko wasn't sure why Naruto was being so cold towards him since the blond already forgave him for lying about the fact that he could speak the human language. Guruko suspected that his anger wasn't toward him, but for the Uchiha of Team 7.

Guruko felt his stomach growl at him as he jumped up onto the kitchen window ledge. Naruto was cooking lunch, a big juicy steak for Guruko just as Kakashi instructed in the scroll, and a cup of ramen for himself. Guruko watched as the water began to boil for the noodles with hatred. In a week and a half Naruto hadn't eaten anything outside of ramen or rice and always in small proportions. It wasn't healthy.

"_You need to eat meat and vegetables and fruits once in a while you know," _Guruko commented.

Naruto opened up the stove and flipped the meat inside before closing it and dragging his arm across his forehead. Naruto sighed and turned to the dog, a slight frown on his face. "Do you plan to lecture me for the next two and a half weeks? Every time you open your mouth it's to tell me I'm doing something wrong. I've lived thirteen years doing things my way and I've been doing just fine," Naruto said, annoyance slipping through toward the end.

Guruko shifted, placing his head on his front paws, so that he was able to look at Naruto comfortably.

"_Still angry at Sasuke, I see," _the dog observed.

Naruto glared at him. "I'm not mad."

"_Sure you're not, you're angry, which is worse."_

"I'm not angry. There's no reason to be."

"_Why do you think Sasuke wants to fight you so badly?"_

"I don't know."

"_Are you sure?"_

"Our last fight was interrupted so no one won. He wants to win really badly."

"_Why?"_

"…"

"_Naruto?"_

"Can you consider someone inferior to you and be their friend at the same time?" Naruto asked quietly, his hand slowing down in the stirring of the noodles.

Guruko blinked at him owlishly, surprised by the thrust in conversation. _"No, friends are those who would consider you of great value,"_ Guruko answered automatically.

Naruto quietly went about the kitchen, putting the noodles in a bowl and mixing in some extra herbs before dumping the pot into the sink. As the meat continued to cook Naruto sat down at the kitchen table and let the bowl cool. Guruko watched all this silently, his eyes never leaving the blond.

"Yeah, I thought so," Naruto finally said slowly.

Guruko waited for him to continue but Naruto just continued to eat the noodles until the oven's alarm went off. Naruto pulled out the meat, careful of the heat, and put it into the dog bowl. Guruko hopped down, tail wagging, to the food. Naruto had gotten into the habit of tossing the meat into the oven in the past week, which Guruko would admit he much preferred. The hot, greasy liquid on the metal pan a delicious, extra treat after dinner. "Guruko, do you know what friends are supposed to do for each other?" Naruto asked, twirling the broth of ramen around with his chopstick.

Guruko licked his lips and yawned. _"Hmmm… friends are supposed to… be there for you in tough times, laugh with you in good times," _Guruko said thoughtfully.

Naruto stopped moving the chop sticks and just stared into the now cold liquid. "What's the difference between comrades and friends?" Naruto asked.

Guruko turned around from his food and examined Naruto, his head tilting to the side. "_What's with all the questions?" _Guruko asked in reply.

Naruto shrugged, still staring into the bowl. "I just… do you think I'm being naïve? About Sasuke and Sakura being my friends?" Naruto asked softly.

Guruko didn't know what to say to that. He'd never expected Naruto, of all people, to ask something like that. For the past week and a half, whenever they were in his apartment, it was Sasuke this and Sakura that. _"Did you see how Sasuke managed to break Sakura's strongest genjutsu without the sharingan? I don't think I'd be able to do nearly as good." "Did you see Sakura dodging Sasuke's attacks today? She's gotten a lot better so fast." _

When Guruko didn't answer, Naruto sighed and picked up his bowl, pouring out the broth, and began to scrub at the dishes. "They're… the closest thing I've ever had to a family, you know? I love them all very much," Naruto told the dog beside him. "But… to Sasuke and Sakura and Kaka-sensei… I'm just a lousy teammate they got stuck with."

Guruko growled at the blonde. _"That's not true at all. I know that your team cares very much about you!" _Guruko said loudly, as if saying it in a strong voice could make it real.

"Sasuke, Sakura and Kaka-sensei have been there for me on missions. Sasuke saved me in Wave and Kaka-sensei came for me when I got captured in Snow country. Sakura… guarded over me when I was knocked out in the Forest of Death. There were so many times I wondered why they didn't just leave me to die. I've wanted desperately to believe that it was because they were my friends but… they think that I'm lower than them, that I'm too stupid and clumsy to get anything right.

"To them I'm just a burden on the team. I'm someone they have to deal with on missions and training, but someone to be avoided at all cost outside of those two things. I'm a comrade, a fellow shinobi that they feel obligated to protect, because I'm not good enough to do it myself. I think… I think that's the difference between a comrade and a friend. A comrade is someone you work with and protect because you have to. A friend is someone you're with because you _want_ to be with them and protect them because they're precious to you."

The quiet after that was suffocating for the dog. He wanted to argue, but the blond had a point. Sasuke and Sakura acted as if Naruto was a thorn in their side rather than a friend. It had been painful to watch the two treat their teammate so brutally, snapping at the blond for even the smallest mistake and throwing around harsh insults whenever Naruto took longer than the other two to do something. Naruto really needed friends to be there for him and all he had was Sasuke and Sakura who paid so little attention to their teammate that they hadn't a clue about what was going on or even who their teammate really was.

Guruko shuffled over to the blond and jumped up so that his paws leaned against Naruto's knees. The blond crouched down to eye level with the dog and smiled gently, scratching behind the dog's ear. _"I'm here for you, I'm your friend," _Guruko said, craning his head and licking Naruto's cheek.

The smile turned into a grin. "Thanks for putting up with me," Naruto said teasingly as he stood up and dried the dishes.

Guruko nudged Naruto's leg affectionately. _"You're no trouble at all," _Guruko said sternly.

Naruto burst out in a fit of laughter. "I thought I was the one supposed to be watching after you for Kaka-sensei, not the other way around," Naruto said as he finished up the last of the dishes.

* * *

That night Naruto got sick again. It was twelve o'clock, just a few minutes after Naruto crawled into bed, when the gasps of pain started. Guruko awoke at the end of the bed to see Naruto tightly gripping his pillow with his face shoved into the soft cloth, attempting to muffle himself. Guruko jumped off the bed and tugged a clean wash cloth off one of the bathroom racks. The dog dipped the cloth into his water bowl and brought it back into the small bedroom where Naruto was badly shaking, skin burning to the touch. Guruko, as carefully as he could, draped the cloth across Naruto's burning forehead, keeping it there with his nose.

Naruto's fist clenched around bed sheets till the knuckles turned white, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. "Ahh…ahh… urgh!" Naruto screamed into the pillow, each cry filled with agony.

Guruko whined as he heard Naruto's breathing become irregular, taxed with whatever was making him sick. "Ahhhhh!" Naruto screamed again, reaching one hand up to grip the place over his heart tightly. "Cough… cough… urgh."

Naruto threw the covers off his body, gently taking the cloth from Guruko and placing it more firmly on his forehead as he lay on his side. Too tired to say anything. Guruko whined louder as he saw the glazed eyes of his friend staring back at him in pain.

"Ahhhh!" Naruto closed his eyes and pulled the pillow over his head, muffling the scream half-way through.

Banging suddenly erupted from the wall beside them, startling the dog out of a year of his life. "WILL YOU CUT THE FUCKING SCREAMING? DON'T MAKE ME COME IN THERE AND BEAT YOU, YOU LITTLE SHIT!" a deep male voice yelled out.

Guruko growled in fury. A thirteen year old kid was so sick he was screaming in pain and his neighbors were annoyed by the screaming?

"Cough… huff. Huff. Huff. Cough," Naruto looked out from under the pillow at the wall with a weary expression on his face, pain lining his every movement.

Naruto slowly moved into a sitting position. Guruko gently pulled Naruto down again by the front of his shirt, growling at the blond in warning, _"Don't move, you'll only get worse." _

Sweat poured down Naruto's face and body, so much that the blond's night clothes stuck to his skin. The small patch of red across his cheeks developed into an angry red all across his entire body. Guruko went back and forth, rewetting the cloth over and over, but it did little to cool Naruto down. Late in the morning Naruto's screams developed into worn out moans of pain and eventually into small, continuous coughs. Several times during the night the man next door yelled out severe threats, but never went through with them. There was even a point in which Guruko thought Naruto stopped breathing where the dog nearly had a stroke. Guruko almost cried in relief when a couple minutes later there was a hitch in the blond's chest and breath came out.

Guruko stayed up the entire night, for the first time in his life wishing he were human so that he could properly take care of the blond, and making sure to watch the door in case the man decided to go through with what he said. At about four that morning Naruto stumbled to the bathroom and retched across the floor, not quite making it to the toilet in time. Guruko winced sympathetically. Vomiting was by far the worst part about being sick. The distinct sound of dry heaving came from the bathroom. Guruko gingerly made his way to the bathroom, mindful of the sick all over the floor.

Naruto was not a pretty sight to see at that moment. Vomit covered the blond's torso, his high fever showing in the deep red patches all over his body, his clothes stuck to his skin and hair to the side of his face from sweat, his lips were chapped and pale, nose running and eyes watery. Naruto looked down into the toilet with a look of pure hatred. Guruko watched as the blond stood up shakily, but instead of heading in the direction of his bedroom, Naruto turned on the shower and, not bothering to take his clothes off, he stepped straight into the cold water. Then promptly sat down on the floor of the bathtub, allowing the vomit to be rinsed from body and clothes.

"_Naruto, you need to warm the water up some or else you'll just get sicker. And try to take your clothes off," _Guruko said gently, well aware that the young shinobi was exhausted.

Taking off his clothes in his condition was like asking someone to move a mountain with a pitchfork. Naruto leaned against the wall of the bathtub, seeming to not hear Guruko speak at all, sighing in relief as the cold water beat against his burning body. Guruko tried to ignore the stench of throw up as it wafted from the floor on his way toward the tub. _"Naruto, please, the vomit's off so get out. Try to get some clean clothes on," _the dog softly prodded.

Naruto lifted an eyelid to look at him, pain still lingering a great deal, but the fever itself slowly decreasing. Naruto's chest moved rapidly up and down to help regulate his overtaxed lungs better.

"I'll… huff… huff… be just fine. Huff. Just, please… a few more minutes," Naruto croaked out.

Guruko, exhausted from staying up all night, simply nodded and lay down beside the tub. The dog involuntarily fell into a deep slumber, not to wake until Naruto had long since cleaned the bathroom and left the apartment for missions with Team 7. A large, warm blanket over his body, and food and water already laid out in the kitchen.

* * *

Naruto stared uneasily at the restaurant in front of him, looking around at the people that surrounded the building. Now that he was here he would admit he was slightly intimidated and a little nauseous, but that could easily be chalked up to the fact he'd been really sick earlier this morning. Naruto ran his hand over his face, fingers touching the black bandages there. It filled him with relief, as well as the bandana around his head. As long as he wore this no one would recognize him. As long as he wore this he felt safe. Team 7 rarely ate lunch together so it was easy for him to get away to come here for the hour break they took. A quick change of clothes and he could do just about anything.

Naruto walked forward and into the restaurant where a young woman, perhaps late teens, stepped in front of him with a smile on her face. "How can I help you today, sir? Will you be waiting for companions or is it just yourself today?" the woman said, voice like chimes in the wind.

Naruto gave the woman a broad grin. "Actually I was wondering if I could talk to the manager?" Naruto asked.

The woman nodded her head, motioning for someone in the back to come to her before whispering in their ear. She turned back to him with her smile still in place. "If you follow this man to the back you'll be able to talk to him," the woman said cheerily.

Naruto thanked the woman and followed the rather scrawny man up a flight of stairs to the second floor. Naruto entered a room with a short man sitting at a desk, reading over some paper work. The man looked up over silver rimmed half-moon glasses. As Naruto entered, the scrawny man walked up to the manager, who Naruto assumed to be the manager anyways, and whispered something in the man's ear who nodded in reply. The scrawny man left the two alone in the office. Naruto fidgeted as the man stared at him, scrutinizing his figure. "Opi says that you have something you would like to talk about, young man?" the man asked kindly.

Naruto took a deep breath before walking up to the manager of Sakura's favorite restaurant. "Yes, my shinobi team's coming here Monday afternoon," Naruto began slowly.

Naruto pulled out a wad of cash and placed it on the table. The man raised an eyebrow at him, picked it up and counted it, his surprise mounting. "This is a hundred dollars, young man. What for?" the man asked, his voice stern now.

"My teammate's birthday is Monday. I don't want anything to ruin it, especially not me being there. This money is yours as long as you promise to treat me like any other customer when I come Monday. I'll even pay for a meal on top of the hundred I just gave you," Naruto said quietly.

The man stared at him over his glasses, suspicion showing in his eyes as they roamed over the blonde.

"Who are you exactly?" the man asked.

Naruto sighed tiredly before reaching up to the bandages and untying them, allowing the black cloth to fall on his shoulders. The man stood up, a disgusted look on his face. "You," he hissed.

Naruto shrugged wearily. "Yeah, me," he answered.

The man's fists clenched around the money, looking from it to the blond and back again. "One-fifty," the man said bluntly.

Naruto bristled in anger. "It's just a lunch meal! I won't be here for more than an hour!" Naruto snarled.

"One-fifty or you won't eat with your teammates," the manager said.

"It's her birthday!" Naruto snapped.

"Obviously you don't plan to eat with her on her birthday then," the man replied.

Naruto looked at the floor, his anger mounting. The blond took several deep breaths, trying to rein it in. This was for Sakura. It would take him at least an extra week of work to make up for the money lost, but… his teammate was worth it. Naruto let out his breath, digging into his pocket and pulling out fifty bucks. Raising it out for the man to grab. Just as the manager went to take it Naruto brought it back to him.

"You'll get it if you come through with our deal," Naruto said quietly.

"And how do I know you'll give it to me?" the man asked.

"How do I know you'll keep your word and that your employees will treat me like a normal customer?" Naruto countered.

The man glared angrily at him, mind considering the pros and cons of the deal. "Fine, but you can't stay more than an hour," the manager said.

"Make it two hours and we'll sit in the back of the restaurant," Naruto replied.

"Deal."

* * *

Sakura sighed happily as she stretched her arms over her head, getting all the kinks out after a long day of missions. "Sakura-chan!" Then sighed unhappily as her least favorite team member ran up to her with a smile on his face.

She gave him an irritated frown, to which he just continued to smile at her idiotically. "What is it, Naruto?" Sakura finally asked in exasperation.

Naruto's face flushed as he turned his head away and scratched his cheek. "I wanted to ask you something," Naruto began hesitantly.

Sakura groaned. A couple months ago Naruto had stopped asking her out on dates, and she'd been incredibly happy, but it seemed that he was at it again.

"No Naruto, I will not go on a date with you," Sakura said tiredly as she continued walking. When her shadow continued to follow her, her anger started to mount.

"Actually, I didn't want to ask you that," Naruto said, digging his hands into the front of his large jacket pockets.

'_Oh,' _Sakura thought as she stopped in her tracks. She peered at Naruto curiously. "Then what did you want to ask me? Another explanation to something?" Sakura asked, unintentionally letting her voice become annoyed towards the end.

Naruto flinched, but covered it up with his too-big smile.

"Something like that. I was wondering if you could tell me… What do you think is the most annoying thing about me?" Naruto asked quietly.

Sakura stared at him in confusion. "Well, that's kind of tough," Sakura said thoughtfully, "I mean there's a lot about you that's annoying."

Naruto flinched, but nodded, keeping that smile in place.

"I mean… You never take anything seriously, you've got a quick temper, you can be really stupid, you jump to conclusions far too quickly, you're rude, obnoxious, and loud, your ego's huge, you've got no manners, you're clumsy…" Naruto grimaced as Sakura continued her tirade, with each word getting louder and louder.

"Hm… I honestly think the most annoying thing about you is how loud you are. All your faults stem from that. If you were just quieter you'd be a lot easier to bear," Sakura said, nodding her head as if agreeing with herself.

"Come on Sakura, tell me how you really feel," Naruto muttered sarcastically to himself.

Sakura merely smiled at him, figuring whatever Naruto had to say under his breath would probably annoy her and thus could stay under his breath. Naruto gave her a weak smile back. "Thanks Sakura, that really helped," Naruto said sincerely, if a little resentfully.

Sakura frowned at him. "Why do you ask anyways?" Sakura asked.

Naruto shrugged. "I just thought that when we become Chuunin we're gonna have to work with a lot of other people, so I thought that I should work on how I deal with people," Naruto explained quietly.

Sakura's frown deepened.

"You know, even when we make Chuunin we'll still be a team, we'll still be doing a lot of missions together," Sakura said pointedly, as if talking to a child. Then she shrugged and smiled. "Though I think it's a good idea that you want to improve yourself. I've been telling you from the beginning that you'd do better if you acted more like Sasuke," Sakura said wagging her finger at her blond teammate triumphantly.

Naruto's shoulders slumped. He hadn't asked her just to get a lecture about how much _better_ Sasuke was. "Um… thanks Sakura," Naruto said as he began to turn around to head back toward the training ground early.

Sakura was about to take off to finish her lunch break when Naruto called out to her, she turned, an annoyed look of exasperation on her face. "What now?" she demanded crossly.

"Um… is there anything at all that…" Naruto began asking when a large gust of wind cut between them, stealing the last few words away from him. Naruto looked at Sakura's face and into her eyes. The green orbs glaring at him. Naruto found himself looking at the ground, fidgeting. "Never mind," Naruto sighed.

Sakura turned around and walked away. The people around walked by, ignoring his presence. "Is there anything at all that you do like about me?" Naruto asked the empty space that Sakura had occupied.

Somehow he knew that Sakura and the empty space would give him the same answer.

* * *

Guruko was beyond angry, he was infuriated. It was early Monday morning, so early the sun wasn't even up. Saturday, Naruto went to his afternoon shipping job, picked up Sakura's present, stuffed a piece of bread in his mouth for dinner and went to work at the bar that night. When Naruto walked through the door coming home, he was already sick, barely making it to the bathroom to vomit and then preceded to sleep on the cold tile floor, moaning in pain. The same thing happened Sunday night, though Satoshi sent him home early, stating to the pale-faced blond that if he threw up on the dishes he'd force the jinchuuriki to pay for them all.

Every time the dog would try to nudge Naruto into eating something the blond would turn green and proceed to vomit stomach acid into the toilet. Eventually Guruko came to the conclusion that it was time to get Tsunade to see the blond immediately. Which led to the event of Guruko becoming infuriated. Apparently Naruto found out how he'd gotten out of the apartment the last time because the window he'd nudged open had a wooden board nailed shut over it.

So now the dog was stuck between being angry at the blond and being worried out of his mind for him. The fevers were dangerous, that was for damn sure, but what really bothered the dog was the pain that Naruto was in. No sickness that Guruko ever witnessed caused someone to be in pure agony like that. It was as if someone was stabbing the blond all over his body at once. Not to mention… Naruto had been losing weight. A dangerous amount of weight for someone of Naruto's size. When Naruto finally woke up Sunday morning it was hard even to get the blond to have the tea he usually drank in the morning. For dinner he'd eaten a bowl of white rice, but when he got sick again he'd just thrown it back up. Guruko could see the gentle curve of Naruto's ribs now.

Naruto moaned softly beside him, shoving his head into the nook of his arms as the dog watched him forlornly, carefully pulling the covers further over thin shoulders. At one point he'd pulled Naruto's blanket off the bed and draped it over the blond sleeping on the bathroom floor. Naruto shivered and turned over, the fever finally having been broken not even thirty minutes beforehand.

It was nine before Naruto opened his eyes and sat up stiffly, dark rings around his eyes and a dazed look on his face. It took several minutes for the blond's eyes to focus on the pointy-eared dog despite the fact that he sat directly in front of him. "Sorry boy, I don't usually get this bad and almost never this much," Naruto whispered, his voice hoarse from his screams, "What time is it?" he asked, rubbing his forehead and leaning against the wall.

"_You need to get into bed, not go on missions," _Guruko insisted sternly. _"It's bad enough you trotted_ _all the way to work last night! What if you'd collapsed on the streets? What if someone attacked you while you're sick? There are a million things that could have happened to you and I wouldn't have been able to do anything because _someone _locked me up inside this apartment!" _Guruko lectured.

As usual the blond ignored him and stiffly walked into the kitchen, using the wall for support. Naruto looked dazedly at the clock on the wall and swore violently. Ten minutes past nine and he was supposed to meet his team at eight-thirty. Naruto went about the apartment with as much speed as he could muster, getting ready to head out.

"_What am I supposed to do if you collapse in the streets?" _Guruko asked as his tail twitched in annoyance, aware that the human wasn't going to listen to him.

Naruto looked up from slipping on his shinobi sandals and grimaced. "I gotta go, Guruko. It's Sakura's birthday," Naruto said unwavering.

Naruto shakily tied the leaf head band around his forehead, tightening it and wincing as his agitated skin met the semi-rough material. Naruto went over to one of the kitchen cabinet shelves and pulled out Sakura's present, safely tucking it away into his jacket pocket. Then they walked out the door and toward the training grounds.

"So, how do I look?" Naruto asked teasingly, trying to ignore the glares from all around in the streets.

"_Like shit," _the dog answered truthfully.

"Sometimes lying is nicer."

"_And look where it's gotten you."_

"Being truthful usually lands me in even worse situations."

"_Like what?" _

"Like telling Sakura I liked her when we were nine."

"_How did that land you in a bad situation?"_

"She tolerated me before I told her, even smiled at me once."

"_Oh."_

"And when I told Sasuke I thought he was my friend when we were ten."

"_What happened?"_

"He called me an imbecile, told me no one would ever want to be friends with someone like me and slammed the door in my face."

"…"

"You know what the saddest part is?"

"_What?"_

"Even though they pretty much can't stand me, they're the closest things I've ever had to friends. And then you came around… It's weird; I've never spent so much time with someone and never had anyone who worried about me. It's cruel really. You'll be gone in a couple of weeks and I'll probably never see you again," Naruto said with a small, bitter smile on his lips.

"_What? Why?" _Guruko asked startled.

"Kaka-sensei, Sakura, Sasuke… they'd be better off without me. When I get to Chuunin rank I won't bother them anymore. There are a lot of jobs Chuunin are allowed to do solo. Plus I figure I can work in the hospital too, I'll even wear my bandana and bandages so that no one knows it's the jinchuuriki treating them. Since I won't be seeing Kaka-sensei I won't be seeing you," Naruto explained.

"_Naruto… I don't think Kakashi would be happy about that. Plus, even if Kakashi was… I'm going to be staying with you," _Guruko said softly.

Naruto stopped in the middle of the street, causing those behind him to growl angrily and curse under their breath as they were forced to move around the blond. Naruto stared down at the dog, disbelief and a tiny flicker of hope within cerulean orbs, but just as quickly the light died out and the blue turned an icy shade of resolve. The young shinobi started to walk again, this time faster toward the training ground. They were nearly there when Naruto finally decided to say something in response. At first Guruko thought he'd heard wrong and so asked Naruto to repeat himself. The blond refused to so much as look at him.

"I said no."

"_Why?!" _Guruko asked, the word coming out painfully.

"I don't have the money or the time to take care of you. I can't continue this little routine of taking you to training. If you got hurt I wouldn't be able to pay your vet bills. I wouldn't be able to get you food every day. Kaka-sensei is paying for that right now. What if I got sick during the day? Who would feed you? Take you out to go? Not to mention that if anyone found out that you live with me, and I mean _live,_ not just me taking care of you for a month, then who knows what would happen. And there are other reasons… just too many reasons to even consider it. Let's not forget that you're part of Kaka-sensei's team, he needs you on missions for tracking. It's already pretty dangerous just going on this mission without three of his dogs. Thank you, it was a nice thought, but it's not possible," Naruto said in a strained voice.

Guruko solemnly followed the blond in silence the rest of the way.

* * *

When they arrived Naruto timidly wished Sakura a happy birthday as the young kunoichi attempted to glare holes through his head for his lateness on HER birthday. It took forever for lunchtime to come around, but thankfully with every step they took toward Sakura's favorite restaurant the happier she became. In fact she got so excited she gently grabbed the hand of both of her teammates and dragged them along down the road. When they entered the sushi restaurant Naruto immediately recognized the manager of the restaurant himself in a waiter's apron, waiting patiently at the side of their very group. Apparently the man hadn't been able to find a waiter willing to treat him decently, that, or he wanted to make absolutely sure he got a hold of the second half of the blond's bribe money. Naruto bet on the latter.

They were seated near the back, neither Sakura nor Sasuke caring much at all about location. Sakura scooted into the round table with Sasuke and Naruto on both sides of her and the dogs all beneath the table. Naruto gingerly picked up the menu, opening it and scanning the food excitedly. He would never admit it to his teammates, but this was the first time he'd eaten in an actual restaurant. Ichiruku's was the only place that allowed him to eat there without a hassle, but it was more of a stand than anything else. Within the menu there were dozens of things he'd never tried before, some he didn't even know what they were.

Naruto peered over the plastic menu at the other customers, all happily involved in their food or conversations. Families, friends, coworkers… there wasn't anyone eating alone. Sakura chatted merrily beside him about the party her mom was throwing for her tonight and how all the Rookie 12 were invited. Sasuke, for once, was semi paying attention to her and nodding now and again. Naruto couldn't help but smile at the tug that was pulling at Sasuke's lips, the look of exasperation clearly on the Uchiha's face at their female teammate's unusual childlike manner.

In the end when they ordered Naruto was forced to rely on Sakura's opinion of what was good and what wasn't. For once, she didn't reprimand him for not knowing something. He'd gotten the same as her, pasta with some kind of white creamy sauce called alfredo that she said was good and loaded with shrimp on top. Sasuke went with skewered shrimp with potato and bread on the side. Team 7 talked animatedly to one another throughout the whole meal, even though tension had been high between Naruto and Sasuke lately, they'd set it aside for their teammate's sake, which she sorely appreciated.

In the middle of the meal a couple entered the restaurant and sat at a booth not too far from theirs. They sat on the same side. The man dressed normally enough, but the woman wore a tightly-hugging shirt that showed off a great deal of cleavage and a short skirt with leggings. The moment the pair sat down the women moved her hand into an… inappropriate place and started to neck him. Apparently the couple came often enough that the manager knew to sit them near the back. Naruto blushed and looked away, taking a rather large bite of his food. Sasuke shook his head in disapproval of the public show while Sakura snorted in disgust.

"What a whore," Sakura snickered.

Naruto stiffened, preferring not to say anything.

"The least they could do is get a room," Sasuke admitted.

"I bet the slut lost her virginity by time she was my age," Sakura said in contempt.

Naruto sank lower in his chair, staring a hole into his food.

"People like that won't get anywhere in life," Sasuke said wrinkling his nose as the man began to neck her back.

"The slut probably works in some dingy place like a bar or club," Sakura said, laughing lightly.

Oh… Naruto felt like shit at the moment. Sakura raised an eyebrow at him.

"What's wrong Naruto?" the pinkette asked.

"Nothin' just, we don't know her or his story, we shouldn't judge," Naruto said.

"If it acts like a slut and it looks like a slut, chances are it's a slut," Sakura said shrugging.

Naruto felt his shoulders droop. "So you guys hate all sluts?" Naruto asked teasingly.

"They're worthless, filthy people," Sasuke replied, taking a sip of his drink.

"I'd never associate with someone like that," Sakura said sternly.

Naruto laughed and nodded his head, inwardly squirming at their harsh words. Would they say that to him if they knew about…? Naruto felt sick. It hadn't been his choice. He'd been held down and forced to... He remembered the horrible pain in such vividness it nearly caused him to vomit right there. Skin touching skin. Bloody crescent moons all over. Black and purple flesh in patches everywhere. Tossed. Pushed. Slammed. Rammed. Choked. Body forcefully twisted and bent. There'd never been a chance of escape but… what if they thought differently? If they knew would they be ashamed to even know him, to talk to him, to even look at him? What if they thought of him as a slut? It wasn't as if it had happened just one time.

Any moment that person thought they could get away with it, they would have him pinned down and… raped. Was it even considered rape? It wasn't like he was someone important like Sasuke or Sakura. Even if it was forced was he a slut because he'd been fucked so many times? It hurt him deeply each time it happened but… was he just being dramatic in thinking that it was a big deal? He was an orphan with no finances to speak of, worked as a shinobi during the day and at a bar during the night to make ends meet, for god's sake. Bad things like that happened all the time to people like him, people with no status or family. Would Sasuke or Sakura even care? Boo-hoo the orphan gets raped here and there, so what, the little attention-grubbing slut probably deserved it. Naruto bitterly laughed at himself. Of course they would think of him as a slut. He couldn't even look in a mirror without feeling filthy and worthless after the first time it happened. How could he expect anyone else to, if they found out, think any differently?

Naruto glanced down at Guruko. Kakashi's dog was happily gnawing on a bone under the table, unaware of the conversation going on. The dog knew what happened just the other day. Would he tell anyone about it? The very thought about anyone knowing, especially anyone on his team, about… _that, _sent a wave of shame and self loathing through him. Sasuke and Sakura would be looking at him exactly like they were looking at the couple. They'd be disgusted. Naruto wished desperately that the floor would rise up and swallow him. If they knew, if they ever found out… he would seriously consider killing himself.

Somewhere towards the end of their meal something about Sasuke changed though. There was an air of contempt about him that set Naruto on edge. Sakura was oblivious to it of course. "Sakura," Sasuke began just as they were getting ready to leave the table.

She looked up in surprise and stared at him, waiting for what he had to say. Sasuke glanced at Naruto for a moment, anger contempt and… a small amount of regret in his eyes before the raven-haired youth turned to Sakura once more.

"Do you mind if I give you your birthday present now instead of later tonight?" Sasuke asked calmly.

The curious look on Sakura's face turned to a broad smile. "Of course Sasuke-kun!" Sakura replied happily.

Naruto had a sinking feeling that something was wrong. Sasuke's hand moved far too slowly for Naruto's taste as it moved to the weapon's pouch. Sasuke pulled out a small, white, rectangular box with a pink ribbon tied around it nicely.

Naruto gazed at it dazedly as Sakura gasped in surprised happiness when Sasuke handed it to her. No. It couldn't be. Sasuke would never do something like that. They'd agreed nearly a month ago that he would get her the necklace and that Sasuke would find something else. Sasuke wouldn't do that to him just because he was angry at him. Sasuke wouldn't do something that cruel. Sasuke knew Naruto didn't have a lot of money, knew that buying Sakura the necklace and bringing her to this restaurant had been something he'd been saving up to do.

She tugged the ribbon undone, opened the lid and gasped again. Sasuke smirked. Naruto flinched like he'd been slapped. It was beautiful. A silver chain with a heart shaped pendent. The edges were lined with rosette quartz, a pink that matched her hair perfectly. The sterling steel of the pendent glowed in the light of the restaurant, reflecting Sakura's name in the middle, in an undeniably beautiful script. To top it off, rosette quart stones shaped like Sakura petals appeared to be drifting down the pendent, an obvious effect of some kind of seal jutsu. Sasuke had out-done him with the same present. The sheer amount of money to have such things added was like an extra twist of the knife for Naruto. He stood there, watching Sakura's wide eyes and broad smile, Sasuke's superior smirk so large it almost looked like a smile.

Sakura turned the pendent over and read the back out loud. "From Sasuke, Happy Birthday," Sakura whispered in disbelief.

A tear slid down her cheek from the sheer amount of happiness she felt. She threw her arms around Sasuke, who grunted but didn't immediately throw her off, he could tolerate it just once a year. They moved toward the exit of the restaurant, Sasuke already having paid his half of the meal. The manager swooped in the moment his two teammates walked away from him. He didn't need to say anything, Naruto already knew. Naruto pulled out the fifty, plus the amount for his half of the meal before catching up to his teammates to finish training.

**BN: I hate Sasuke here. He's such an ass! Poor, poor Naruto had to watch as that smug bastard did that on purpose… Grr, now I'm semi-angry and am going to go flame someone!**


	9. Fire and Ice

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

A/N

Windschild8178: I don't remember if I gave the bar Naruto works at a name or not and I've looked through all the chapters three times so if it has two names I apologize.

Thank You Eccentric! Thank you Cheerful!

Ninja Academy:

Normal admittance: 7 years old.

1st year: 7

2nd year: 8

3rd year: 9

4th year: 10

5th year: 11

6th year: 12

Naruto: because Hokage wanted him out of foster homes.

1st year: 6

2nd year: 7

3rd year: 8

4th year: 9

5th year: 10 [Exams every six months. First two exam failures when he's ten]

6th year: 11 [Third Exam Failure]

* * *

"**Some say the world will end in fire**

**Some sa****y ice**

**From what I've tasted of desire…**

**I hold with those who favor fire**

**But if it had to parish twice**

**I think I know enough of hate**

**To say that for destruction ice…**

**Is also great**

**And would suffice."**

-Robert Frost

* * *

Chapter 9: Fire and ice

_**Naruto: Just turned ten a month ago.**_

_Naruto tiredly placed his bag on the floor of his apartment, groaning as his muscles ached, relieved that class was finally over for the day. Kurama sensei worked them hard through an obstacle course today, which really wouldn't have been too bad, but he'd hurt his shoulder the day before when bringing a rather heavy package from the shipping warehouse to a shop in the midst of the market place. He swore that he banged his damn bruised appendix against every bar they'd had to dive under and over. The first floor apartment was small but comfortable, Naruto loved it and greatly appreciated the blankets the Third gave to him as a house warmer. _

_He walked passed the single mirror in the house, being careful to ignore the reflection at all costs. Naruto made his way to his bedroom and collapsed into the warmth of the wonderful covers, snuggling down beneath them. He'd take a nap and then clean his room and do his homework. For a ten year old living on his own he knew responsibility far more than any one ever gave him credit for. _

_Naruto wrinkled his nose in discomfort, something was stinging his leg. Groggily Naruto sat up before hacking into his hands. Black smoke lingered everywhere and entered his unprepared lungs with frightening speed. Naruto dropped to the ground, laying his body against the wooden floor and looking for the nearest exit. Flames licked at everything, though strangely small, as if someone didn't want to know the fire was taking place. Naruto tucked that thought away for later as he spotted the door, but it was engulfed in fire, which only left the window of the small apartment. The blonde beat down on the bottom of his leg with a nearby dirty shirt, extinguishing the flame, but getting a piece of cloth stuck in the burn. Naruto hissed but moved toward the window without further delay, very much aware of the old buildings dusty, kindle wood like walls. _

_That's when Naruto saw it. His mother's book. It was next to the bed, fire greedily reaching for it. The orphan turned back and rushed for it, covering his mouth with his shirt and wincing as he put weight on his burned leg. Naruto picked the book up and hugged it to his chest, a small relief that the fire wouldn't have it. Naruto felt his eyes watering from the smoke, he lowered his body and peered around blurrily as small pieces of wood feel from the roof and onto his back. Naruto yelped in pain, fear causing him to move hazardly across the room back to the window. _

_Naruto coughed harshly as he lifted his head into the smoke in order to open the window, small hand snaking up the glass of the window to the clasp. Naruto turned it and pushed up, but it refused to budge. Naruto shoved away his rising panic and bent down to take a breath of semi clean air before heaving at the window. Unfortunately, all he managed to do was crack the glass. Naruto coughed, this time harsher with dizziness attacking him and nearly causing him to fall. The young blonde dazedly stared at the window, nearly crying as he realized what he'd have to do. Naruto took several steps back, careful of the blue flames, and rammed his body against the window. _

_Glass pieces shoved themselves into his skin, he felt blood slide down his face, but ignored it and took several steps back. Naruto rushed the window once more only this time jumped and smashed through the barrier of broken glass and cracked wood, falling onto the ground. Naruto gasped for breath and shivered as the first winds of winter wrapped itself around him. Naruto hugged his book to him and tried to stand, before yelping and collapsing to the ground. The young blonde looked around, realizing for the first time that he was on a side street. _

_Not even ten feet away two women stood in shock, Naruto gasped for breath, eyes beginning to overflow as they didn't move. Naruto could still feel the heat on his back while the cold harshly hitting his face. His leg hurt him so much and he felt sharp pieces digging into him all over. The two women hesitated, unsure of what to do, the pure indifference caused Naruto to choke on a sob as the pain seemed to increase. "Please…" Naruto gasped, "I need help." One of the women, the younger of the two, moved forward and Naruto nearly burst with thankfulness. Until the older of the two grabbed her arm. _

_"You can't," the older said softly, "its him." _

_Naruto tightened his grip on his mother's book as he shook with sobs. The younger women glanced at him and then at her companion. _

_"I know but… but he's hurt. We can't just leave him." The younger whispered. The older women shook her head, eyes cold as she eyed the broken child. _

_"He probably started it himself." The older women dragged the younger away hurriedly. The last thing Naruto saw before blacking out was the younger women turning away from him. As the darkness swallowed him up Naruto secretly hoped that he would never wake up. _

* * *

_A moan escaped him as the blonde child woke up to a mind numbing headache. Putting his hand to his head Naruto slowly opened his eyes to find that he was no longer outside but on a couch in an office. His landlords office to be exact. Naruto turned his head, eyes searching for a human soul beside his own. When none was to be found he quietly took note of his condition. All the cuts and gashes from the glass seemed to be gone and his burn was half way healed. So, he'd been out for an hour, maybe two. His healing abilities was something that he'd discovered at a very young age, something he hated more than anything else. It was a curse. Not to mention the only thing he could think of as to why everyone hated him so much. His ability to heal and the scars on his face were the only thing that made him different from the other children after all. _

_Naruto groaned as he pulled himself up. His landowner had not bothered to wrap his leg which did not surprise the blonde in the least, in fact he thought it was strange the man even brought him out of the cold. Just as he was about to get up and test his leg out the door creaked open and a man stepped in. Mosh- a short chubby man in his early thirties stood there. A stringy black beard hung a couple inches long, though it did not make up for the loss of hair on top of his head. The man didn't look at him, just went to his large desk and sorted through some papers. Naruto waited, weary of how events would turn out with the only home he knew was now unlivable. Eventually the man turned icy eyes on him causing the blonde to shrink in on himself._

"_Do you have anything to say for yourself." Mosh asked slowly. Naruto stared at him blankly. Had he done something wrong? Yes, he'd broken the window. If he hadn't he would have died, but the man before him could care less about him. That was it. Naruto bent his head forward, trying to hide himself behind his too long bangs as the man glared angrily at him. His leg twitched in pain causing the blonde to bite his lip hard. A tiny trail of blood slipped out of the small cut and into the curve of his lip, but Naruto didn't move to wipe it away. He sat there stiffly. _

"_I'm sorry about the window." Naruto whispered softly. Mosh grew red in the face while his hand tightened on the pencil he held. _

_"Fuck the window! I'm talking about my apartment!" The landowner snarled, pointing accusingly at the small blonde. Naruto stared at him in confusion before realization hit him. _

_"I didn't start the fire sir, why would I destroy my home?" Naruto asked pointedly but gently. The man had a shorter temper than Naruto himself and on more than one occasion had hit him hard for any disrespect or protest from him. On a couple occasion's he'd even been kicked by the man for one thing or another. When in Mosh's presence it was best to speak softly, tread carefully and leave quickly. _

"_Lying little cheat, you started that fire and you'll take responsibility for it!" Mosh shouted as he stood up. _

_Naruto felt his temper flare a bit. "I told you I didn't start it." Naruto snapped, eyes glaring at the man. Mosh walked around the desk, picking up a piece of paper as he did so. Naruto glared at him, not moving an inch. When Mosh held out the paper for Naruto to take the blonde turned his head away and brought his knees up to his chest. The landlord bristled in fury, raised his hand and stuck the child across the face. An angry red mark lay across all three of his possession marks, but still Naruto just glared back. _

_"You will pay for the damage or I will have the Anbu take you to prison where you belong and there will be nothing the Hokage can say about it." Mosh hissed quietly. _

_The prisons of Konoha, as the leaf was a shinobe village, filled even the most war torn veterans with fear. Each cell kept at chilled temperatures. You were left for weeks at a time by yourself with the occasional bowl of food or cup of water seemingly appearing out of no where. As a child with a great deal of street smarts, Naruto knew far more about the darker side of Konoha than any of his classmates. The painfully ignorant children at the academy sat in blissful ignorance to the harsher side that Konoha possessed. He'd even spoken to many who'd been locked up inside the prisons for one thing or another. Thievery. Assault. Handing out alcohol to minors. Drug dealers. Even those imprisoned for refusing to pay taxes or debts, though they stayed in semi better conditions. _

_He'd over heard the third talking to the council members a few times in his life, the things they'd said about him had been… scary. They'd been in the conference room and Naruto had wanted to ask the 'old man' if he could help him with his reading. He'd heard the old women advisor suggest sending him to imprisonment. Naruto didn't understand many of the things they'd said but he understood when the women said it would 'stop any influence he might have on the heirs of the village.' She'd wanted to lock him away for talking to the other students in his class… because they 'might' get an idea from him. He'd been so crushed and so scared he'd left and sobbed for hours in the Hokage's office. _

_When the Hokage finally came in and found Naruto the blonde sobbed even harder. He'd yelled that he would never talk to any of the other kids ever again if he promised never to send him to the prison. Hiruzen Sarutobi stood there stunned for several seconds before the old man allowed a few tears to fall and gently cradled the hysterical child in his arms while he sobbed. Sarutobi told him sternly that he would never allow the council to do that to him and that he could talk to any of the children that he felt like talking to. What if the council found out about this and blamed him. Would they take advantage of this and send him to prison? Would the Hokage be able to stop them from doing it? He'd heard a couple of the meetings and they'd been vile and manipulative throughout all sessions. _

_Naruto froze, tightening his hold on his knees, but turned to the paper and gently took it out of Mosh's chubby fingers. The man smiled wickedly down at him as Naruto wearily read through the fine print, nearly crying at how much debt he was suddenly in. "One more thing," the man said smirking, "your no longer welcome in this apartment complex" Naruto looked up from the paper in shocked horror. _

_"What?" Naruto gasped out, his small hand tightening around the paper enough to crinkle it. _

_"You heard me. All the apartments are filled up and yours will take months to repair. I'm not about to re-rent it to the person who burnt the insides to hell." Mosh said, crossing his arms in triumph. Naruto wasn't sure if he wanted to punch the man or break apart. _

"_I've always paid my rent on time, I never make a lot of noise and I didn't start that fire! I've never done anything to you without you being mean to me first. What have I done to get kicked out? Why do you hate me so much?" Naruto screamed out in frustration and anger, standing up so he could look directly in the man's eyes. This was his only home, the only place that he was safe, until now. Naruto's entire frame shook with fury and hurt as he glared at the man who stared coldly back at him. _

"_You really want to know?" Mosh asked quietly, voice laced with something the blonde couldn't recognize. Naruto nodded his head stiffly. Mosh bent down so that they were eye level. Fierce angry blue met icy black. The landlord smirked a bit and leaned in closer. "Its because you represent death. You were born in this world to be hated and no one will ever love you because you are unlovable." Mosh whispered quietly, hatred and contempt dripping from his tongue. This time the tears did fall. Naruto stared at the man brokenly, unsure how to react, confused and utterly torn apart. _

_Was it true? Was it a lie? That's exactly how everyone looked at him though, as if he was death itself. _

_"You can't," the older women said softly, "its him."_

_Naruto fell to his knees in despair while his landlord only chuckled in mirth. Mosh walked over to his desk and pulled out a book. Naruto's mother's book. "Here's your worthless piece of junk." Mosh said as he tossed it to the boy. It landed a few inches in front of the orphan. Naruto carefully picked it up and hugged it to his chest once more. "Now get out and don't come back. I'll send someone to find you if you don't send me my money."_

* * *

_Naruto dazedly walked around Konoha after trying to see the Hokage with no success. The man at the desk outside the Hokage's office was different from before. The first reserved a small smile just for him, the one now reserved an epitaph of insults the moment he walked through the door. Everything seemed to be going horribly wrong all of a sudden. There was no way he could pay rent and the atrocious bill from Mosh at the same time. It was already difficult enough to pay his rent and get food with the orphans stipend and tens times worse when one of the Chuunin's would 'accidentally' forget to bring it to him every fourth month or so. _

_Naruto tiredly peered at his surroundings, realizing that he'd brought himself to one of the peaceful tracks through the wooded area of the village. There was a bench a little ways ahead that Naruto hurriedly approached before gratefully falling on it with a thud. His burn was almost gone, but that did nothing to stop the searing pain rushing through it at the moment. Naruto noticed that while his healing ability caused all wounds to be physically gone at an astounding rate the same couldn't be said about the pain. It some how managed to linger long after the scrapes had closed up and bruises faded away, as if someone thought it was a funny joke to torture him. _

_The sun set an hour ago, but thankfully a street light hung over the bench so the blonde didn't feel entirely vulnerable in the dark night. Naruto closed his eyes tightly and rested his head on his mother's book as the temperature seemed to drop another degree. It was the beginning of winter. It would be snowing in a week or two and Naruto feared deeply for what would happen to him. It was as he was drifting off to sleep that he heard a strange sound. Footsteps. Coming closer. Naruto forced his eyes open and to his surprise an exceptionally beautiful women stood there, eyes peering at him curiously. She was in her mid-twenties, with silky black hair that touched her shoulders in just the right way. Her piercing light brown eyes seemed to miss nothing as they looked him over. He didn't like her. He wasn't sure why, but he just didn't like her. There was something that laced around her aura that set him on edge. She sat down next to him and looked up at the sky. _

_"So tell me little one, what are you doing out here at this time of night?" She purred gently. Naruto pulled his book to him and his knees to his chest, scooting a little away from her. _

_"Nothing." Naruto answered wearily. Why wouldn't she just leave him alone? Couldn't she be bothering someone else? _

"_You know…" The women said conversationally, "Konoha has been my home for a while now. Fourteen years in fact." Naruto stared at her, confused. _

_"So?" Naruto asked bluntly. Why was she talking to him? No one talked to him and for once in his life he didn't want to talk to anyone either. An odd conversation at that. She smiled. _

_"You seem like a boy who'd be interested in hearing about shinobi but if not…" She began to get up. Naruto peered over his knees at her, eyes shining with curiosity. _

_"You're a shinobi?" Naruto asked softly, curiosity getting the better of him. She smiled again. _

_"A Kunoichi would be the correct term." The woman said sweetly. She sat down again. _

"_Actually I'll tell you a secret, but you can't tell anyone else, okay?" She asked. Naruto wasn't sure what to make of it. _

_"Why would you tell me?" Naruto asked. She smiled, eyes crinkling as she looked up at the sky. _

_"You look like you've been through hell kid. You look like you could use some cheering up and all little kids think secrets are cool. Your just like any other little kid aren't you?" She asked innocently enough. Naruto nodded hurriedly. Never realizing the women before him had used his biggest fear and hurt as a means of manipulation. The woman's smile widened as she leaned in a bit. _

"_I'm actually a highly regarded Anbu." Naruto's eyes widened. _

_"Really?" He whispered. Her lips twisted in a smirk. _

_"Oh yes. My husband was an anbu as well, but he retired about six months ago when an old friend of his passed away and left him his business." The women said loftily. "An apartment building." She added. Naruto was set on edge again. His smile fell. The instinct telling him something was wrong came back with a vengeance._

"_Even though he's retired he still holds a great deal of influence in the anbu. It did leave its scars though." The women said, for the first time a frown came across her features. "He's such a sweet, sweet man. He would do absolutely anything to make me happy." Naruto stayed quiet. Not sure what to do or what was going on, only the increasingly beat of his heart telling him that it too wanted to get out of here. She turned to him with yet another smile. "Child, what do you know about the anbu?" She asked. Naruto tilted his head at her, hesitantly answering, eyes once more scanning the horizon for something. The old man probably, he couldn't think of any one else who'd be willing to help him. But what would he be helping him from? The women hadn't done anything wrong. He didn't understand why he felt like running. Maybe he was just that much of a coward to be afraid of everything. _

"_Their the protectors of the village right? They do a lot of difficult stuff that other people wouldn't want to think about. They do the jobs that nobody else would take. That's what the old man said anyway." Naruto said blushing. The women smiled again. _

_"That is a very good description of them, far better than most your age would have given." The women said, nodding her head. "They take the most difficult missions and a lot of the times they have to do bad things in order to accomplish a good thing. Its extremely stressful and leaves many anbu… frustrated." She sighed. _

_Naruto frowned at her. "Do you feel like that?" He asked innocently. Her light brown eyes turned to his blue. He caught something deep inside those orbs of hers that scared him. He wished he hadn't asked. Wished that she would just leave. _

_"Oh yes, I feel like that all the time. My relationship with my husband has been strained lately and something quite dear to me has been lacking. My loving husband, that dear man, is quite clever. We love each other, we both know that and have no intention of ever leaving one another, but we've decided to find what was lacking in others." _

_Naruto moved further away from the women to the point that he was nearly standing beside the bench instead of sitting on it. He didn't like the way the women said that. He didn't like the way she was looking at him. He didn't like how far away from the village he was. He just plain didn't like the situation he'd found himself in. Naruto didn't fully understand what she was implying, but he knew it was bad, felt it in every fiber of his being. _

_"I… I.. I'm gonna go now." Naruto said quietly, hating himself for the fear that leaked out of his voice. _

_The beautiful women just continued to smile at him. "Child, you need a home, don't you?" She asked, still in that sugary sweet voice. Naruto stiffened, eyes watching the women wearily. _

_"H.. how'd you know that?" Naruto asked, taking another step back and searching around him for any soul other than theirs. _

_"I have my ways. I own an apartment building and you need a home. It's a pretty little coincidence… isn't it?" She asked slyly. Naruto took another step back. _

_"I don't have enough money for rent." Naruto said quietly. _

_"You don't have to have money. I have another idea for rent." Naruto tried to take another step back, but yelped as he tripped on a root and fell back on his butt. _

_She stood up and walked toward the ten year old slowly, watching in amusement as Naruto crawled backward away from her. "Do you know what I've always wanted to try?" She asked sweetly. Naruto continued crawling backward, stumbling because of the book in his arms until his back hit the trunk of a tree. _

_"S… s… stay away from me!" Naruto screamed. She laughed, the soft voice coming out like chimes. _

"_Our apartment complex is on Gambit street with a large, blue sign that says Lamplighters. You can't miss it." The women said as she kneeled down in front of him. "Winter is coming little Naruto, and no one in Konoha will rent you an apartment. The Hokage, as you'll soon find, will be impossible to reach. Anbu has interesting ties you see." The women said as she leaned in close to the terrified blonde. _

_"I… I… I never gave you my name." Naruto whispered. _

"_Everyone in Konoha knows who you are, Naruto, and no one will ever let you forget it either." She placed her hand between his legs and got right up to him, her smile turning into a twisted grin. "What I've wanted to try for so long… is to fuck a demon." Naruto swung at her, his fist missing her by several inches as the women moved easily out of the way. Naruto stumbled to his feet and took off, running as fast and as far away as possible. Not even a week later the temperatures dropped again and a light snow powdered Konoha. It would be the calm before the roughest winter in five long years hit the city._

* * *

_She tilted her head up, out of her window, into the white sky. A large, blue sign lay above her window with the word 'Lamplighters' along its surface. It had been nearly a month since the first small dust of snow covered Konoha and she had to admit the village looked beautiful in it. The women pushed back her dark hair as her eyes greedily drank in the sight, briefly glancing at he street sign that hung loosely from the nail that kept it in the electric pole. The painted words crookedly spelling out 'Gambit' for all to see. A knock came at the door causing the women to turn away from the window with a small smile on her face. She opened the door… but no one was there. _

_The women walked out of the hall and quickly found the knocker. It was a ten year old boy, leaning against the wall with his legs brought up all the way to his chest and a book by his side. He was skin and bones, obviously starving. The clothes he wore resembled rags, filled with large holes and incredibly filthy, just like the child wearing them. There were bruises here and there, too numerous to be accidental. The most pathetic thing though was the harsh shaking the child exhibited, lips cracked and bloody, fingers and toes a deep shade of blue. The bright blue eyes were nearly glazed over and the red across scarred cheeks told of a high fever. He was close to death. The women smiled._

"_My name is Syne and I believe that we are going to be very good friends." Syne said cheerfully. Tears fell slowly down the blonde child's face as their eyes met… and then he blacked out. _

* * *

Naruto knocked on her door. Music came from inside. The door opened. His pink haired teammate opened the door. "Hey Naruto." Sakura said. Naruto walked into Sakura's home, Guruko walking behind him, eyes carefully watching the blonde. When they'd left the house Guruko could already see the tell-tale signs of a fever. Naruto was going to be sick again tonight, he could tell. Naruto smiled at Sakura like he always did, nodded to Sasuke as usual even when the raven avoided eye contact with him, and greeted the other rookie twelve warmly. Guruko glowered angrily as Naruto smiled at everyone. Only the dog noticed how the blonde checked the time every five seconds. How he avoided his teammates after the first greeting. How each minute that passed caused his smiles to be more strained. Guruko kept beside him the whole time.

Guruko had not met any of the genin outside of team ten, but Guruko could distinguish each person from the many stories Naruto told him for the past two weeks. The blonde never had anything bad to say about any of them while alone within the apartment. Even Neji, whom he'd fought in the Chuunin Exams, he spoke to with a quiet respect. It was curious to the dog that the male Hyuuga continuously attempted to talk with Naruto throughout the party but between Lee's exuberant rants, Tenten's unintentionally incessant chattering and Kiba's demands for a match the poor boy didn't stand a chance.

They'd been there for forty-five minutes when the clock struck six. Guruko could tell by the look on the blondes face that he was going to try to go to work again tonight. Naruto grimaced and slowly made his way to Sakura, Guruko by his side. She was laughing along with Ino and Chouji, Shikamaru sat next to the big genin on the couch looking for all the world bored out of his mind, but Guruko could see the small smile tugging at his lips. Apparently Naruto saw it too because his features softened as he approached and he gave the group a small real smile.

"Hey Sakura, can I talk to you for a minute?" Naruto asked. She nodded and the two went into the kitchen, Guruko trailing behind.

"What's up Naruto?" Sakura asked curiously. Staring at the ground, and wishing it would rush up and eat him, Naruto went through the many ways he could say that he had to leave. Sakura tapped her foot on the floor, impatiently waiting for her teammate to say something.

"Hey… um… I wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday Sakura." Naruto said, raising his voice in his nervousness. Sakura's lips twitched as she fought a smile.

"Thank you Naruto." Sakura made to leave but Naruto grabbed her hand.

"Sakura, there's someplace I have to go now. I tried to get out of it but… it's something I couldn't avoid." Naruto said tiredly. Sakura frowned at him, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"You just got here though." Sakura said. Naruto shrugged helplessly.

"I'm sorry Sakura." Naruto said softly. Sakura shook his head.

"I guess it's alright. I mean, I know you wouldn't miss my birthday unless you had too. Thank you for coming Naruto." Sakura said. Sakura turned to head back to the party but Naruto grabbed her hand once more.

"Sakura… could Guruko stay with you and Pakkun tonight?" Naruto asked. Guruko stiffened. He'd not known that Naruto was going to try something like this and openly growled at the blonde. The frown on Sakura's face deepened as she took note of how hot her teammates hand was. She turned around and studied his face but all she saw was the blush he usually had when he talked to her so she mentally shrugged.

"Sure, I don't mind, I'm sure that Pakkun would appreciate the company anyway. Just between you and me he's driving me crazy with his constant complaining… And he used my shampoo last night!" Sakura whispered indignantly. Naruto snickered a little only to be rewarded by a knock on the head by Sakura. "Idiot." She smirked.

Guruko was finally fed up. _"Naruto! I am not staying here!" _The dog snapped. Sakura gapped at him then back at Naruto.

"I thought he couldn't talk?" Sakura asked in bewilderment. Naruto glared at the dog angrily.

"Until a few days ago neither did I." Naruto replied in exasperation. Naruto kneeled down in front of the dog, thinking up a reasonable lie quick that the dog would believe. "Look, Guruko, there's some medicine that I've got to pick up for 'someone' [me] on the other side of town after I finish with my… meeting [work] tonight." Naruto said, trying to con the dog into staying. Sakura tilted her head to the side, eyes shining with curiosity.

"Meeting?" She asked. Both Guruko and Naruto flinched though for different reasons. Guruko because it reminded him how little Naruto's team mates knew and Naruto because lying was getting harder and harder for him.

"Yeah… There's a meeting at my apartment complex with all the renters. Our landlord wants to discuss… adding some improvements to the building but it would require raising the rent. I can't really afford that so I need to be there to vote against it. Technically we aren't allowed to have animals there and I don't want to take the risk of him accidentally being discovered if they choose to hold the meeting at my place. We decided to pick one of the rooms instead of my landlords tiny office but hadn't gotten far enough to pick one specifically." Naruto lied with a sheepish smile on his face.

Sakura nodded in understanding. "I'm proud of you Naruto, you actually thought of something ahead of time." Sakura said with a smile.

_'The special ops would love this kid,' _Guruko thought forlornly. Outwardly he asked, _"So will this medicine help this 'friend' of yours?" _Naruto's grin became more strained.

"For a while at least." The blonde answered. Sakura leaned forward, hands behind her back.

"So is this friend of yours really sick?" Sakura asked worriedly. Guruko grinned.

_"Oh yes, I've met Naruto's 'friend' once. He's very sick. Fever. Vomiting. In a great deal of pain. The brats too stubborn to accept any type of help though." _Guruko said. Sakura's face fell.

"How sad, you're a good person for helping him Naruto, I hope he feels better." Sakura said as she waved goodbye and entered the living room once more. Naruto weakly waved back, silently determining that pink would be a great color to dye Guruko's hair once he got back.

* * *

After Naruto left Guruko searched out Pakkun and Uhei, the dog groaning as he found them both fast asleep under the food table, stuffed and content. Guruko laid down and peered at all the genin and the single chuunin in the room. Everyone seemed to be having a fun time… except Chouji. The large genin sat on the couch with a rather large frown on his face. Shikamaru was no where to be seen. Guruko got up and jumped onto the couch, taking the spot right beside the young shinobe. Chouji smiled down at him and stroked right between the ears, the dog leaning into the touch.

Shikamaru came back a couple minutes later, sitting down and stretching his arms into the air, yawning tiredly. "Man, Ino and Sakura seriously can talk a person's ears off." Shikamaru joked, noticing Guruko and patting the dogs back. When Chouji didn't say anything back Guruko watched Shikamaru look up and peer at his best friend. Chouji was staring off into space, something obviously troubling him. The petting slowed till it came to a stop. "What's wrong Chouji?" Shikamaru asked, giving his friend a contemplative look.

Chouji stayed quiet for a while after that. Guruko could feel how tense the large genin beside him was. Shikamaru waited patiently, knowing that when something was really troubling his friend that it was best to let him think it all through before speaking. "It's happening again." Chouji said slowly. Shikamaru stared, surprised at the anger the gentle genin seemed to exhibit.

"What's happening?" Shikamaru asked quietly. Chouji shook his head, trying to clear it. Guruko stared up curiously, watching as Chouji tried to straighten up what he was trying to say.

* * *

"Shika, you know how my family specializes in body sized jutsus…" Chouji trailed off. Shikamaru nodded his head, silently telling his friend to continue. "Well, it requires studying a lot about the physical body, like how the Yamanakes study the mind. My Dad started teaching me about it when I was around nine. My family can tell just by looking at food or a drink whether its poisoned or not. That's just how good we are. When we were in the academy I started noticing things. I could tell if someone needed more vitamin C or if they were sick or… you get the idea. Do you remember when Naruto switched into our class?" Shikamaru nodded. "It was in our fourth year, we were ten, he's a year younger than us though." Chouji said. Shikamaru started at that. Children weren't allowed to enter before they turned seven.

"I wasn't very good at it then so it took me a while to notice." The grip on his cup of soda tightened. Everyone in the room continued on with the party, oblivious to Chouji's dilemma. "After a while it started to scare me. I didn't know what to do. I started to avoid him, I know it hurt him a lot, I could see it. It was horrible of me but… I kept silent about it." Shikamaru was starting to get irritated, Chouji would dance around the subject all day if he let him, so he cleared his throat loudly. Chouji jerked guiltily. They were best friends and knew each other enough to be able to carry on nonexistent conversations, a reprimanding, a praise. All could be said in the smallest gesture.

"When Naruto first transferred into our class, Iruka's main class, Naruto actually did really well. He was in the top half of the class even when he was slacking off with us. We started talking to him, for a little while we were friends, do you remember?" Shikamaru nodded, not liking where the conversation seemed to be heading. "Something happened though, I don't know what, but something happened. Naruto was already the smallest kid in class but… he started losing weight. His body started showing physical signs of sickness; bags under his eyes, pale complexion, easy bruising hoarse voice. He started falling asleep in class, a lot more often, another sign of sickness. The scariest part was, was that Naruto never said anything about it. He wore bigger, longer clothes to hide the weight loss and would act louder to hide everything else. I got scared. I started to avoid him cause I didn't know what to say to him. The less I hung out with him the less you did, I don't think you really noticed it, Naruto did though."

"Then Naruto suddenly started getting better. It took a couple months but he got better. His grades improved a lot, up to middle again, and he didn't sleep in class much. We hung out once or twice after that, but I think I messed up big time by avoiding him, he seemed a lot more distant. A few months later, three or four maybe, he started to get sick again. He started missing days of school, the teachers started yelling at him for skipping, which meant they didn't know. A month or so later he'd start to get better and then the cycle would start all over again." Chouji let out a shuddering breath, his entire frame spoke of enormous guilt.

"I should have told someone, but Naruto didn't seem to want anyone to know, and we weren't really friends at the time. I can tell though, it's happening again. I know your disappointed in me for not doing something about this earlier. I'm disappointed in myself for being weak minded about it all, but Naruto needs help." Chouji finished quietly. Shikamaru stared, utterly shocked. Unbeknownst to him his fingers curled into fists beside him.

He took several deep breaths, his mind racing as he tried to remember Naruto from the academy. Each memory of the smiley blonde seemed to be defiled now, re-assimilating themselves with the information Chouji provided. It was difficult because he'd not been looking for that sort of thing in the academy. To him, in the academy, it was all about slacking off and having fun.

While he was a bit angry at Chouji for not telling him a lot sooner he felt more ashamed that he hadn't seen it. Naruto had been, even if only for a short time, a friend of his. After what they'd all been through in the Chuunin exams and in the Sand Sound war all of the rookie twelve felt a deep connection to one another. They'd somehow unknowingly nit themselves together into a strange friendship or sorts. It was true that outside of their teams they really didn't know each other too well, but each understood that if one of them needed help then the others would try their best to aide in whatever way they could.

If Naruto was as sick as Chouji said and if no one knew about it then it must have been hell for him in the academy. Not to mention… Naruto was an orphan who lived on his own. There was no one in the world to help him when he was sick. The thought cause Shikamaru to feel nauseous. Shikamaru finally looked up at Chouji, who peered at his best friend nervously, brow furrowed in concern for their blonde friend. Shikamaru noticed for the first time that the dog between them seemed to be paying rapt attention to the conversation they were having. The dog seemed to be waiting for some kind of response from him. Odd, but this was Kakashi's dog after all.

"I think we should confront Naruto before we do anything else. As much as I doubt it he might tell us straight what's wrong." Shikamaru said thoughtfully. Chouji nodded quickly, relieved that Shikamaru got right to the point instead of pointing fingers. The dog snorted at him, causing Shikamaru to look at the dog curiously. 

_"Naruto won't tell you anything. He thinks he's got to handle everything on his own." _Guruko growled. Shikamaru and Chouji stared.

* * *

When Naruto stepped out of the apartment, Griswald grunted at him in irritation, evidently not happy with how slow the genin took to get ready. Naruto moved slowly beside him, happy for once that the man was so much bigger than him, it meant he was that much slower. He didn't think he'd been able to move fast tonight without suffering a severe case of dizziness. Like Griswald all the employees at the bar knew Naruto by name, but the moment he put the bandages on he became referred to as 'kid' once they entered through the doors of the bar so that no customers would be run off by the name of a 'demon.' Naruto immediately took up an apron and got to work.


	10. My heart

Disclaimer: I no own Naruto. If I did, Sakura wouldn't be such an oblivious or selfish character.

It is unfortunate news that Eccentric cannot continue to beta this story. The good news is that Fortuna16 has joined the group for the wonders that this story shall face in the future!

Please give a loud round of applause to Fortuna16 and Cheerful Regression!

Chapter 10: My heart

Naruto stumbled home, already his body felt hot and his tongue thick with parchedness. He was going to his apartment and straight to bed. He had a feeling that tonight was going to be really bad. Naruto put his hand to his head, trying to cool off his hot forehead, it didn't work. Naruto let out a small groan as he ascended the last set of stairs and turned onto his hallway.

He halted in his tracks. A man of rather large bulk stood in front of his door. One of the bodyguards for Satoshi, he was in the middle of the hall knocking on his door. Naruto let out another groan. That could only mean one thing. At the sound the man turned, greasy long blonde hair falling into his face with the motion, and frowned. The small amount of whiskers and flabby cheeks on the twenty-five year old seemed to migrate several inches south with the frown and light green eyes narrowed accordingly. His name, as Naruto learned the first night of work, was Griswald. He'd laughed hard at that… right before getting a black eye. Naruto unconsciously forced himself to walk straighter without relying on the handrail like he'd been doing moments before. He took deep even breaths and stuffed his hands into his jacket in an attempt to hide how weak he felt at the moment.

"Naruto, several of the waiters didn't show up tonight. No notice. Not at home. Nothing. I know you're sick, but Satoshi needs you tonight – offered double pay even," Griswald said in a surprisingly light voice.

Naruto nodded grimly. "Just give me a minute," Naruto said quietly.

While getting ready Naruto made sure to hide a pair of kunai on each leg. He could use kunai like an extension of himself with little to no effort after all the practice he'd been doing the last few months. If he was in a tight spot tonight and couldn't rely on his body, then he'd be able to defend with his kunai at least.

* * *

Ibiki and Anko, the head of Torture and Interrogation and his eccentric second in command, went to the bar, the same bar, every Monday night. The 'Sober's Tomb' Bar was in one of the darker areas of Konoha, but they served the strongest alcoholic beverages around. The two walked in, their presence immediately garnering the looks of many, eyes wearily following them to their table. The eyes of the purple haired snake woman immediately fell upon something that took up her interest. She grinned and nodded her head in the direction of a certain individual. Ibiki humored her and peered behind him, a slight twitch of the lips was the only sign of reaction when the man spotted the boy.

The small boy, around 11 maybe 12, walked around the bar taking orders and bringing drinks. He hid his hair under a black bandana and hid his face with black bandages. Draped all in black, his most distinguishing feature was a pair of icy blue eyes that seemed to see right through you. Anko would kill to see what the rest of his face looked like. It was rare that they saw the boy as a waiter, he normally hid in the back, fulfilling other duties. But despite the rarity of it, the boy was their favorite server. His sweet nature yet sarcastic attitude left both special jounins with smiles on their faces by the end of the night.

The boy seemed to be moving slower today though as he migrated to their direction, taking orders and requests all the while. When he finally got around to their table, Anko gave the boy a shit-eating smile. "Still working this crap shoot of a job?" Anko asked.

The boy snorted. "Still showing as much as possible within the legal limits?" The boy asked hoarsely, pointing his pen at Anko's mesh shirt, the usual greeting.

Anko frowned. "You sound like shit kid," Anko commented.

The boy shrugged. "A lot of workers didn't come in tonight so I had no choice," the boy replied hoarsely. "So what can I get you?"

Anko and Ibiki shared a glance. "I'll have a Mudslide, with cream no milk, over ice not blended" Anko said happily.

The boy nodded, jotting it down and looking expectantly at Ibiki. "Cinnamon Vodka, no ice," the man answered.

The boy moved slowly toward the bar, movements stiff. They both watched silently. "Too many damn orphans in this village and nowhere to go," Anko commented idly. Ibiki agreed.

They'd been there for nearly an hour, downing their drinks and making conversation with each other and their server, when a fight broke out in the middle of the bar. Anko leaned to the side to see better, eagerly anticipating some good blood being spilt, until she saw the boy. The young server was unfortunately near enough to get shoved into a table, the three glasses on his platter crashing to the floor and breaking. The young server swayed a bit before steadying himself and walked over to the two men quite calmly.

One of the men swung at him, but the boy simply sidestepped him, and chopped him in the back of the neck, knocking him out instantly. Two of the bar's bodyguards came rushing out even as the boy moved to the second man, who was angrily screaming at the unconscious one. The drunken man tried to grab a hold of the boy when he came near, but the boy easily ducked and gave a strong right hook into the soft belly of the man. The man vomited as he fell to the floor, hands reaching out for anything to slow his descent. His hands found only the back of a black shirt and a small black piece of bandage to grip before losing consciousness and slamming onto the cold tiled floor. The boy managed to rip his shirt from the man before he was brought done with him, but his black bandages came slightly undone. Not enough to show anything but loose enough that they could easily come completely off at any time.

A few of the more exuberant drunks clapped and laughed as the bodyguards collected the two men and tossed them out onto the streets, hollering and billowing their amusement. Anko normally would have joined in except her eyes were worriedly watching the boy who stood to the side, leaning heavily against a booth, and holding his forehead in shaking hands. "I had a feeling the kid had shinobi skills," Ibiki said softly, taking a shot of vodka.

"Yeah, I'm gonna check and see if he's alright. He looks like he's about to puke himself," Anko said as she stood up.

Ibiki watched her, a small smirk on his lips. Tough, Anko may be, but for certain people who managed to get under her skin they'd find quite the softy.

As she got closer to the boy she noticed that his black bandages were much looser than she'd ever seen them. When she stood in front of him and the boy still didn't seem aware of her presence, Anko gently touched his shoulders. The boy's head shot up, pulled away from her quickly, but the motion obviously didn't agree with him since he nearly fell to the ground. Anko reached out and steadied him before that could happen though, eyes meeting with a pair of slightly glazed over ones.

"I think you should sit down for a few minutes," Anko said, her usual boisterous voice tempered for the moment.

The boy slowly nodded in agreement, recognizing the voice of the snake women. Anko guided the boy to the nearest booth and sat him down, looking around for a glass of something not alcoholic. "Here," a familiar voice said.

Anko looked behind her to find Ibiki offering her his water canister. She smiled and tugged the water out of his scarred hands.

"Hey kid, can you swallow this?" Anko asked gently.

The boy looked wearily at her and the canister, shaking like a leaf from fatigue, but nodded and pulled down a bandage enough to pour some water through cracked, pale lips. He harshly coughed a few times, but the shaking wasn't as bad. Anko smiled in relief.

"Thanks," the boy croaked out.

The bandages were quite loose now, enough to see a black line across a cheek. Anko lifted her hand up to the small area of forehead not covered by the bandana and hissed in shock when her fingers met burning skin. "Kid, you've got a high fever," Anko said.

The boy nodded, trying to smile, but failed miserably when a look of intense pain flittered across his eyes. "Gotta finish my shift," the boy said with a shrug.

Anko frowned, peering behind her back at Ibiki who had a similar expression on his face. The young server leaned forward, placing his head on his knees, and breathing unsteadily.

"That doesn't look like it's going to be happening tonight young man," Ibiki said quietly. The boy took several long deep breaths before pushing himself to his feet. He almost stumbled for a moment, but seemed to pull himself together in mid air, standing tall and steady. "Thank you, but I can handle myself. I'll clean up the mess and then bring you refills on your drinks," the young server said hoarsely.

Anko looked as if she was going to push the issue but Ibiki pulled her along toward their table gently. "It's his decision. We shouldn't disrespect it," Ibiki said sternly.

Anko nodded hesitantly, returning to her seat. Neither of them knew anything about the boy's home life or even his name for that matter. If the boy felt he needed to finish his work they would not be foolish enough to question that judgment. Conversation died as they watched the boy struggle to clean up the broken glasses and vomit from the floor. Anko fingered her empty glass, cheeks slightly tinted pink by the liquor. "I heard you got a hold of a couple people yesterday," Anko said, trying to start the conversation back up, "some people lady Hokage was angry at."

Ibiki nodded. "Seems that our lady's more protective over Uzumaki than even the Third Hokage. She was furious to find some men dumped trash on the Jinchuuriki when he was passing through after a meeting with her. Can't say that I blame her, but she'll not be happy to find out what the people of Konoha have gotten away with doing to that kid," Ibiki said solemnly, taking a shot of Vodka.

"That's for damn sure. Hope all those bastards get what they deserve. I've heard some nasty shit from people about that kid," Anko said, rather depressed at the thought of it, "Kid's got one hell of a strong will that's for sure, to be smiling like an idiot, despite everything he's been through."

Ibiki chuckled. "In that respect he sort of reminds me of you," the man said.

Anko snorted. "You know that most of that crap I pull is for show. Most of the time it's just to get through the day. It's easier for me if they hate the 'crazy snake women' instead of me, I can pretend it's somebody else they hate. If they don't know me, then they can't hate me, right?" Anko asked tiredly.

Ibiki nodded in agreement. "Exactly, I personally believe that Uzumaki is as human as the rest of us. Even those who think he's not a demon look at him as if there isn't even the slightest possibility that he could be feeling sad or depressed. It's disturbing more than anything else that no one even thinks to doubt that the smiling idiot could be anything but what he shows," Ibiki said, leaning back in his seat, "For a village filled with shinobi of supposed great intelligence, there really isn't that many that the kid hasn't fooled."

Anko sat there stunned. She had not thought about it that way before. The young server came back, cleaned off of all the 'stuff' he'd inadvertently gotten on himself while picking up, with refills in hand. "I'm sorry it took so long, but we're short-handed tonight." The boy said mechanically as he set down the drinks, voice even hoarser than before and apparently unaware that he'd already mentioned the fact the first time around. Anko smiled indulgently at the fever ridden kid. "That's fine," Anko said.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" the boy asked.

Anko shook her head but to her surprise Ibiki cleared his throat. "Actually I'd like to order a meal. The steak dinner?" Ibiki said politely.

The boy stared at him a moment, slowly pulling out his pad of paper and messily wrote the order down, barely comprehensible due to the kids shaking hands. Anko stared at him questioningly, they never ate dinner at the bar because… well… the food tasted like crap. When the boy left Anko voiced her question out loud and Ibiki just shrugged. "Call it guilt if you will, but I'd like to make sure the kid gets back to his place safely and the boy's got another hour before he gets off."

Anko grinned with a glint in her dark brown eyes. "You're going soft, Sir," the young women declared.

"Just in certain areas," the man replied.

* * *

The night only got rougher for their young server. The fever seemed to worsen and the boy made a lot of mistakes through the night earning himself some vile threats from the drunk and a dark glare from his boss behind the bar. When the boss came out from behind the bar around eleven and told the boy that he could go home, the utter relief on the boy's face spoke volumes. Anko and Ibiki, having already paid for their meal, made toward the exit, and waited outside for the boy.

When the boy pulled himself through the doorway and started to walk down the street Anko called out to him. The boy spun, startled, and almost collapsed from the movement. Barely keeping his footing, his left hand immediately flew to his head, as if trying to hold it in place while his right hand lowered further toward his leg. Anko walked up to him, the boy caught sight of her and jumped away, flipping in the air and landing on a high stack of crates. Right hand immediately reaching for something attached to his inner calf of his leg. Anko raised a brow at him, impressed despite herself. She wasn't so sure she could flip like that when she was that nauseous.

"Relax kid. It's Anko remember? We just want to make sure you get home safely," Anko called out.

The boy looked at her, obviously dizzy from his little escape jump as he wavered from side to side. "Forgive me if I don't trust the customers," the boy said unsteadily.

Anko nodded. "On any other day I'd say that's completely true, but you can barely walk kid," Anko pointed out.

The boy would have protested but at that moment his dizziness won out and he found himself tumbling to the ground below. Anko moved in fast, catching the boy in her arms and supporting him as she helped him stand. The boy leaned heavily against her, covering his mouth with his hand.

"Thanks… Don't have a choice, do I?" the boy asked hoarsely.

Anko shook her head. "Not much of one kid," Anko replied teasingly.

Ibiki felt his lips twitch, but only a twitch. As they walked down the streets Anko noticed that the further they got the more heavily the boy fell on her support. Perhaps it would be better to take him to the hospital instead at this point. The boy pointed them in the correct direction, his words getting more strained and slurred for each step taken.

"Urgh –" Anko turned to the boy at the sound and was surprised to find herself being pushed away. The boy fell awkwardly on his knees, ripped down his bandages and proceeded to vomit across the road. Ibiki moved quickly beside the boy, gently holding his shoulders in case he collapsed further.

"Thanks for not puking on me kid, I appreciate it," Anko said as she moved toward him.

The boy started to chuckle a bit until more vomit filled his throat and he was puking once more. Once everything was out of his system the boy wiped his mouth and shakily got to his feet with Ibiki's help. In his fevered state the boy forgot something though, to retighten the bandages.

"You," Anko breathed in shock.

The boy panicked, ripping himself away from a startled Ibiki. He tried to run, but his aching body was attacked by an immense pain. He fell to the ground holding his chest and barely repressing a scream. Anko moved to his side, gently pulling him up and supporting him with her strength. Ibiki caught up and saw the boy's face as well. Whisker marks spread across the red, fever ridden cheeks of the young server, telling all far and wide that the person who bore them was a Jinchuuriki.

"It's okay Naruto, we're not gonna hurt ya kid," Anko told him quietly.

Anko met Ibiki's eyes, giving the man a silent signal. The man nodded and disappeared to get a medic.

* * *

Shizune felt an immense headache coming on. She gently massaged her temple with soft, slightly delicate fingers as the doctor across from her argued with an ANBU beside her, who refused to get the necessary shot. The tall masked figure was not pleased at all, his once bloody leg bandaged up and healed. A nin-dog of an enemy shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Rocks had bitten him during a battle and as was the custom treatment for such an injury, the man needed a rabies shot that just happened to require being taken in the ass. The ANBU was most definitely not pleased.

Shizune looked up when a large man entered the room and motioned for her to come over quickly. Shizune silently thanked whoever was watching over her and excused herself to speak with Ibiki. "I need your help with a sick genin, Shizune-san," Ibiki said seriously.

Shizune nodded and immediately followed the man as he hurriedly made his way out of the hospital. "Why didn't you bring him directly to hospital and why choose me? There are many qualified medical Nin for some sick genin," Shizune asked as they leaped onto the roofs.

"Anko and I considered it, but when we found out who it was, we knew we couldn't do that," Ibiki answered simply.

Shizune raised her brow in question. When they found out who he was? They hadn't known before hand? Who could it be that couldn't just have any medic? "What do you mean by that?" Shizune asked.

Ibiki sighed as he dodged a pole and leaped over a rather large roof wall. "The genin is Naruto Uzumaki," Ibiki answered.

Shizune stared at him for a moment, startled. "Naruto's sick?" Shizune whispered, unconsciously picking up her pace.

"Very sick," Ibiki answered once more.

Shizune bit her lip, thinking about the argument Naruto had with Tsunade and the searching the two of them had been doing. It appeared they had their just cause for wanting to take him to the hospital… Her mind stopped on her and rewound a bit. Ibiki had said something that still seemed off.

"Even if the person is Naruto why didn't you bring him to the hospital?" Shizune asked.

Ibiki stayed silent and for a moment Shizune thought he was going to ignore her. "The Third brought a Konoha doctor to my interrogation room once," the scarred man said slowly, "for purposely 'forgetting' to give a child numbing medicine before an operation of a damaged heart."

Shizune couldn't help it. She leaped to the ground and puked on the side of the road. Ibiki gracefully landed beside her, pulling her hair back and out of her face as she continued to empty her stomach. Shizune shook uncontrollably in horror. "Oh god. Oh my god," she whispered as she took a cloth out of her pocket and wiped her mouth.

"The gas used to knock a patient out during an operation was replaced with a temporary paralysis gas so that the child couldn't move or scream," Ibiki continued.

Shizune bent over again and the last of her dinner paid her a visit. "The damaged heart developed due to a combination of malnutrition and… abuse of the child. All the abusers were taken care of personally by the Third. The damage was extensive enough that even the boy's healing abilities could not fully fix it. If I remember correctly he was about seven, maybe eight, when he had the operation done. Naruto has recovered enough from the incident to go inside a hospital to visit a friend, but not enough to be admitted to one under any circumstance," Ibiki finished quietly.

"Oh god," was all Shizune could say.

"We need to hurry, I don't know how serious Naruto's illness is," Ibiki reminded her, though not unkindly.

Shizune nodded and soon both rose to the roof times and across the village. When the two landed in front of the apartment complex of Naruto's building they took the stairs two at a time. Ibiki had left them in the streets but knew Naruto was coherent enough to have directed Anko to his home. One more reason for Ibiki choosing the women besides the obvious was that she knew where Naruto lived.

The first thing they heard when opening the door was the sound of an agonized scream. Shizune rushed through the living room/kitchen and pushed aside the curtain-makeshift-door to see Anko holding Naruto's hand. The bandana, bandages, and shirt had been stripped away and a cold, wet cloth placed on his forehead. His entire body dripped with feverish sweat and his face was contorted in pain as he squeezed Anko's hand. Shizune could also clearly see that the blonde was having difficulty breathing as his chest rose and sank fast but with obvious strain. Naruto's eyes were tightly closed, his left hand clenching the bed sheets underneath him. Much to Shizune's growing horror she could count Naruto's ribs and see the gentle bumps where she knew organs lay under muscle.

She and Lady Tsunade had believed that Naruto had been sick for a few weeks from what Hana Inuzuka had reported from Guruko. After talking to Naruto himself and finding that it had been going on long enough for the third Hokage to know, they'd assumed that it was an illness that came up every once in a while but that wasn't dangerous. So while they had been keen to find out what it was and how they could help, they took a leisurely attitude towards it and not pushed Naruto too hard for answers. Now with what Ibiki had just told her and what she saw before herself, she had another theory. The Third did know about the problem as Naruto claimed, but she'd be willing to bet anything that Naruto hid the side effects of that problem from Sarutobi at all costs.

She understood now why Naruto would hide it from Tsunade. She'd spent a lot of time with Naruto these last couple months. She had been delighted in his interests of making medicine from herbs, entertained by his surprisingly intelligent conversations and humorous stories, enraged by the treatment she saw him receive when people believed he was by himself, surprised by his eagerness to learn, confused by the relationship he held with his team because at times they seemed close and during others it seemed as if they didn't know each other at all, and humbled in how far Naruto would go to make the people around him happy.

Sure Naruto could be loud, sometimes he could make stupid comments and maybe he needed a little extra time to understand things but… she didn't understand how the people around him could condemn him so easily for such small things. How they could hit him for it or insult him or act like they were ten times better than him when they, themselves, held far more detrimental faults. They claimed he was annoying, but Shizune could hardly see how. Most of Naruto's wayward comments were in fact very true. When he comes into the office and speaks with Tsunade, it isn't as Hokage and genin, but as older sister and younger brother. He shouldn't be hit for calling her "Baa-chan" or commenting on her drinking or calling Tsunade on her own rude remarks. To be absolutely honest, it annoyed her to no end to see Sakura hit the boy or Sasuke insult him. His own sensei joined in sometimes, telling the blonde that he was in the wrong in something or another.

If Jiraiya didn't already hold the claim of having him as an apprentice, she would have asked for him weeks ago. While Naruto could not learn any type of medical ninjutsu due to being a Jinchuuriki, the boy showed great skill in being able to make medicine and evaluate the status of a patient. Naruto was even good at treating small wounds that didn't need to be treated with chakra. She could further those skills and teach him a few of her own nonmedical jutsu. When Shizune heard that Sakura, the boy's teammate of all people, was to be Tsunade's apprentice she'd broken the pencil in her hand. If only Naruto hadn't made her promise not to tell anyone.

Teams in Konoha were kept balanced for the best results. If one team member chose genjutsu as their main specialty the other two were 'highly encouraged' to specialize in something else. Team Gai for example: Neji focused on chakra control and inner damage to the body, Lee focused on strength and outer damage to the body, Tenten focused on weaponry for long distance to cover her two teammates' greatest weakness. They balanced out to create the perfect combat specialists squad. Only a medical squad sent to assist an injured team needed more than one medic. She would bet every last dime she had that Naruto said nothing about the fact that he was already certified. If Sakura wanted to be a medic he would pretend that his certification didn't exist, and as long as Shizune didn't say anything about it, no one would be the wiser.

Shizune's hands glowed green as she moved to the side of the bed, kneeling down and placing her cold hands on Naruto's chest as he let out another agonized scream. Shizune's eyes widened. Naruto's own chakra was unwillingly attacking his insides. The chakra was leaking out of Naruto's chakra coils and dangerously rapping itself around the thirteen-year-old's organs. The chakra wasn't moving inside the organs or rapping around enough to squeeze them, but there mere presence outside the coils and around the organs was burning them slightly while simultaneously straining the rest of Naruto's body. It wasn't lethal in and of itself, but it caused the fever, vomiting and a horrifying amount of pain. Shizune searched but… no matter how long she sat there she couldn't find the source of what was causing it.

There was one other problem though. Naruto screamed in agony again, gripping the place over his heart tightly, tears of pain sliding through closed eyelids. If she hadn't been looking for it she never would have found it. Within one of the chambers of Naruto's heart she found damage. The damage in his heart was reacting harshly to the strain on Naruto's body, causing an already painful illness to be nearly tripled in pain. Shizune felt tears slide down her face. How long had Naruto been in this condition? Slowly, with her years of experience, Shizune coaxed Naruto's chakra back into the coils. Then she softly moved her healing chakra around the organs, repairing any small intense burns she found. It was a temporary fix at best since she didn't know the cause for the condition and thus couldn't stop the chakra from leaving again. Naruto's heart was another matter. He would need an open surgery in order to get a combination of medical jutsu and seal healing to take effect that far into his chest. She didn't even want to think about how she was going to get Naruto to go along with it after what Ibiki told her. Shizune allowed her chakra to fade.

Beneath her hands she could feel Naruto shaking. Naruto already seemed to be doing better, his breathing had finally evened out, and while still suffering from a fever, it was slowly ebbing. Shizune guessed it would be another hour before it lowered to something safe. The best part was that Naruto was no longer screaming in pain, which meant his heart had also reacted to fixing the chakra problem.

"Is he gonna be alright?" Shizune jumped as she remembered for the first time since entering the room that there were two others beside herself.

Shizune brushed back a wet blonde lock from Naruto's sleeping face and gave the boy a tender smile. "I think he'll be okay but… there are still too many unanswered questions to be certain," Shizune told Anko, who had been the one to ask.

The snake women still held onto Naruto's hand as she nodded in understanding. "I'm going to stay with him through the night and tomorrow I'll talk to Tsunade about what we should do about this," Shizune told the others.

Ibiki nodded in understanding while Anko looked hesitant to leave. Shizune gave her a tired but genuine smile. "I promise, nothing with happen to him while I'm watching," Shizune assured.

The other woman nodded before standing up and leaving with her partner.

* * *

Some time after Ibiki and Anko left, early in the morning of the next day Shizune sat next to the bed nursing a cup of tea in her hands. Naruto lay unmoving on the bed, the only sign of life was the steady rise and fall of his chest. Shizune's mind tumbled with thoughts. She reached out a hand and brushed away straw colored strands of hair to feel his forehead. It was a little warm, a very low fever, much better than the burning high fever of last night. Naruto's eyes scrunched up and the boy turned his head in reaction to the touch, but his form stayed asleep.

Naruto would never willingly enter a hospital for himself. It was understandable given what happened… Shizune shuddered as Ibiki's words came back to her. _"The Third brought a Konoha doctor to my interrogation room once, for purposely 'forgetting' to give a child numbing medicine before an operation of a damaged heart. The gas used to knock a patient out during an operation was replaced with a temporary paralysis gas so that the child couldn't move or scream." _She couldn't even begin to imagine the pain and terror that experience brought, and Naruto had only been seven years old for god's sake. It surprised her immensely, now that she knew, that Naruto had been able to visit his team mate in the hospital with such calmness. It surprised her even more that Naruto had an interest and talent for making medicine. Life truly could not be so accidentally ironic, there had to be someone up there laughing there asses off at them all.

It made her think though… Did that mean that the problem with Naruto's heart had been left unattended to for the past six years? Had Naruto not gone to the hospital for anything since the incident? Naruto coughed and moaned in his sleep, turning on his side and unconsciously dragging the blanket further over himself. Shizune took another sip of her swiftly cooling tea and noted with growing irritability the coldness of the room. The apartment was not in any way a good place for someone who was sick. It wouldn't be a good idea to put Naruto in the hospital if the problem was with his heart though. The heart would react badly to any stress put on it and now that Shizune knew about the incident she would make sure that she and Lady Tsunade were able to take care of him without placing him in a hospital. She couldn't bear the thought of forcing Naruto to stay in a place that was a nightmare for him.

The heart… "Oh," Shizune said and thought in surprise.

The heart was a major conductor of Chakra and by extension the center of chakra control. If the heart was damaged in any way then Chakra control would be thrown completely out of whack. Jinchuuriki always held a great deal of difficulty when it came to chakra control due to the sheer amount of chakra they possess, but Shizune had always thought that Naruto's control was much worse than it should be. She knew the boy practiced an insane amount of hours on it without getting any results, hell, practically everyone knew. Many of the rookies' found great pleasure in teasing the Jinchuuriki about how lousy his control was and frequently blamed it on Naruto's supposed stupidity.

Naruto turned over again and his eyes cracked open just enough to see a slimmer of blue. Dull eyes laced with illness stared at her for a long moment, trying desperately to recognize who sat in front of him, body tense. Shizune set her tea cup down and took the wash cloth from the water filled bowl she'd prepared and stroked Naruto's face with it. "How are you feeling Naruto-kun?" Shizune asked sweetly.

Naruto's body visibly relaxed at the sound of the women's voice. "Shizune?" Naruto asked hoarsely, voice cracking painfully at the end.

"Shhh. You shouldn't talk Naruto-kun, you've been very sick. I'll be right back," Shizune said sternly, standing up.

Shizune went and got some tea, grumbling to herself at the terrifying lack of food in the house. Some honey would have greatly helped the genin's throat right about now. When she entered through the curtain/door it was to see Naruto struggling to sit up in the bed. Shizune frowned, setting the teacup down on the bedside dresser and hurriedly went to help him. Her hands went to his back, wincing as she felt the protruding spine, and carefully pulled him into a sitting position. From the last time she saw him lying on the hotel bed he'd lost at least ten pounds and on an already small frame like Naruto's it was extremely dangerous. Why hadn't anyone noticed how sick Naruto was before this? Surely his team mates saw something?

Naruto nodded his thanks to her, his hand holding the now warm, wet cloth to his forehead. "You should have waited for me to help you," Shizune said sternly as she reached for the tea. "Drink." Shizune commanded, placing the cup near the blonde's lips. Naruto grimaced, but tiredly nodded and let the cloth in his hand fall to the bed. His hands shakily went up to the cup and half held it with Shizune's steady hand while he sipped at it. When half the cup was done and Naruto couldn't stomach any more Shizune set it down again.

"I really wish you would have told me Naruto-kun," Shizune said gently.

Naruto slowly shook his head, pulling his body back till it touched the backboard of his bed. His body sagging against it and welcoming the solid support. "'M fine. Is nothen'," Naruto mumbled hoarsely.

Shizune felt hurt by that. Even now, when there was no way he could hide it, Naruto still tried to lie. "I've been here all night Naruto. I did a diagnosis ninjutsu on you to determine what was wrong," Shizune said quietly.

Naruto's eyes flew wide open, blue eyes staring at her in petrified horror. His entire body tensed in terror. Shizune flinched. She hadn't anticipated his reaction being this bad. "I know about the problem with your heart," Shizune continued.

Something strange happened then. Naruto's body remained tense but there was a marginal relaxation to it, as if he'd been expected her to say something else.

"My… heart?" Naruto asked quietly, hand touching the surface over the organ. "Jiji said it was fixed despite… what someone did," Naruto whispered hoarsely, not meeting her eyes.

Shizune flinched. If Naruto believed that the problem wasn't his heart then it was possible the third Hokage had not been aware of the problem either. She and Lady Tsunade were the most skilled of medics in Konoha so it was very possible for the mediocre medics at the hospital to have missed the damage. That led to another thought though. The fact that Naruto's chakra was attacking him and causing him to be ill. The way Naruto reacted… Naruto must know what was causing it. To not tell anyone about it like that… Naruto must really not want to be placed in a hospital.

"I found damage in one of the four chambers of your heart as well as the fact that something is causing your chakra to make you sick. Do you know what's causing your chakra to act like that?" Shizune asked.

Naruto still wouldn't look at her. He shook his head bringing his legs up to his chest and rapping his arms around his knees. Shizune sat all the way on the bed, so that she was directly across from him. He knew. She had this painful gut feeling that he knew what it was. "I think you know exactly what's causing you to be sick. I know about what that doctor did to you Naruto, but I need you to trust me and to tell me what's wrong. There's a place in the Hokage tower, created for emergencies, that I can take you to. You don't have to go the hospital, I promise," Shizune said pleadingly.

Naruto looked up at her wearily, distrust clear in his still dull blue eyes. "You're not gonna take me to the hospital?" Naruto asked hoarsely.

Shizune had to lean in to hear him but when she did she smiled encouragingly and nodded. "The emergency room is fully equipped to handle anything," Shizune stated matter-of-factly.

Naruto buried his head into his knees clearly trying to think through the situation. Shizune allowed him to do so, going into the kitchen to refill her cup of tea.

The more of the apartment she saw the more irritated she became. Besides the plants it was incredibly bare; the refrigerator was broken, the shower only supplied cold water, for some unknown reason the bedroom door was missing and the heater appeared to be in disrepair. If she had anything to say about it Naruto would be out of this place as soon as possible.

When Shizune finished pouring the tea she reentered the tiny bedroom to find Naruto fast asleep on his side, back against the blackboard and legs tucked in close. His entire form screamed exhaustion. Shizune's eyes softened when they saw him, hardly deterred that she hadn't gotten an answer from him. Shizune peered at the clock. It was just passed four in the morning. After last night Naruto would probably sleep most of the day.


	11. Discovering how Naruto copes

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Fortuna16: Hey guys I'm Windy's new (and old?) beta, but basically now have me!! Also, Windy has been amazing and has already sent me the next two chapters so updates every week will be fulfilled!

Chapter 11: Discovering how Naruto Copes

To say that Naruto was scared was an understatement. Naruto was petrified with terror beyond belief. Shizune had been right when she thought Naruto was terrified to be placed in the hospital, the mere thought brought up horrible nightmares for him. However, Naruto was mentally strong enough to go to the hospital if he _really_ needed to as long as he had someone he knew with him. Being surrounded by Tsunade and Shizune, as well as Sakura, gave him the courage to be there for his injured teammates. Shikamaru being there when he woke up after meeting Gamabunta staved off a panic attack. He would admit to himself that it had been difficult to stand in the white room with images of blood and knives running through his mind. It was not, in fact, what stopped him from going to the hospital for his illness though. If it was solely the illness, then Naruto would have gone to Tsunade and asked quietly for help months ago. He would have asked Iruka to be with him, and Naruto believed that he would be fine with those two there. No, what stopped him from going to the hospital was a completely different matter.

He had thought it was all over the moment Shizune said she'd done a diagnosis on him, but somehow, someway, she had not found out about… the other damage. Kyuubi told him once that his healing abilities could not reach the areas that the seal touched or his heart because the heart was the center of Naruto's soul. He had lied to Guruko when he said that the damage from… being raped was completely healed. There had been a few times that Syne had come to him with… male companions instead of her female friend. From time to time there was a still a twinge of pain, telling him rather harshly that whatever was wrong had not healed. That area was under the seal and thus Kyuubi could do nothing. He was merely a very good actor. Maybe it was because Shizune hadn't thought to check that area, but whatever it was to cause this oversight, Naruto was thankful.

There were dire consequences for anyone finding out that information. The contract he had signed in blood that night with Syne made sure of that. Guruko was an exception because Syne didn't know that he could speak and Naruto thought that with enough persuasion, he could convince the dog not to say anything. He still had two weeks with him and Naruto found that as long as he said things in a certain way, the dog would listen to him. He needed to do damage control with Shizune though. The young medic thought that his 'illness' was just that, an illness that could be fixed with medical ninjutsu.

The illness that came to him each night was Naruto's punishment. It was a call, something that Syne used to force Naruto to come to her when she wanted… _that. _As long as Naruto could take the pain, he wouldn't have to go. Sometimes she would corner him after work though and when she activated one of the two seals she placed on him the night of the signing, Naruto was incapable of fighting back. She had taken away his freedom, his ability to get away or say anything and stripped him of any attempt to get help. The Anbu had pulled every favor she had to make sure Naruto couldn't get to the Hokage before he was forced to sign the contract. The moment he signed it, escape became impossible and going to the Hokage a suicidal plan.

Naruto remembered how he thought back then with painful clarity. At the time the Hokage had been the only person to care about him. He didn't even meet Ayame or Teuchi until after he received the new apartment from Syne and that was because the ramen stand was in the nice part of the village near the academy. He walked from the opposite side of the village to get to school every day when he lived in the now fire damaged apartment. If Naruto had waited to get the old man's help for even a few more days, he would have died. There was no doubt in his mind about that. It was either sign the contract or freeze in some godforsaken alley till death took him. He tried over and over again at every apartment complex in the village to find a place to stay, and each and every time he was denied. For the ten year old, it had been heartbreaking and painful.

Starvation. Cold. Fear. Pain. All of these were driving points. Still… even as a ten year old he had felt disgusted with the idea. His body in exchange for a home and safety. At several points he considered killing himself rather than going to that woman for help. There was no one in the world that wanted him, no place that welcomed him, and everywhere people hated him. If he had killed himself, no one would care or even hold a funeral for him. Then a thought struck a chord in him. It disturbed him and yet, at the same, time bore a tiny speck of light inside. She did want him. For reasons that horrified and disgusted him, but in the end she did want him.

The thought was odd. He was a ten year old orphan who jealously watched other children interact with their mothers. Angry when they would say rude things to their mom or just plain didn't listen to them. If he was one of their sons, Naruto would never be rude to her and would always listen to her. That burning desire to have someone hug you at night and care about you was always painfully there, right under the skin. Naruto wasn't naïve. He knew that she would never be nice to him or care about him, but wouldn't it be nicer to be in someone's hold rather than alone and frozen in an alley? She actually wanted him, offered him a warm place to live and a home away from drunks that would beat him and dogs that would try to bite him. He wouldn't have to resort to shoving himself as far back as he could in a box to keep the cold away. She wanted to help.

These were the thoughts that ran through his mind that day when he had been desperate enough to sign a blood contract with her. Even in this half dead and desperate state of mind, he had been smart enough to demand some way out. He manipulated her greed and she had fallen for it. The amount was dauntingly large, but it was there, in blood where she couldn't deny it. If he paid her a certain amount of money, the contract would become void and he would be freed. Naruto was very close to that amount. He only needed a few more months to raise it. For three years now he had been working day and night, buying the cheapest foods and clothes, using his supplies with the upmost care. He never ate breakfast and sometimes skipped lunch or dinner if he thought he could afford to. He begged childishly for higher ranked missions to get more cash and even resorted to stealing a few times after a particularly vicious night with her.

When Tsuande first offered the first Hokage's necklace his mind had immediately jumped to every dark place he knew that he could sell it to for a large amount of money. It would have been enough to free him ten times over. He'd been incredibly excited about it until Shizune came to talk to him. He'd been disheartened, but still determined to win it in order to free himself. After the battle and getting to know Tsunade and Shizune though… he didn't have the heart to sell it. So the crystal stayed around his neck, the tiny chimes on either side of the crystal so soft that only the wearer could hear them.

Syne had been out of the country for the last few months, since the beginning of the chunin exam, on a special Anbu mission. She had not returned till a month and a half ago. The deal was elaborate, in order to ward off suspicion so that Syne would not get caught, she would call Naruto only at night and never when Naruto was on missions. The call was a torture seal, if Naruto wanted the pain to stop all he had to do was cooperate, fight and the pain continued. Syne was always vicious after an abroad mission and wouldn't let up until she'd had her fun for a few weeks. Being on Team 7 for the past year had made Naruto especially rebellious though, and the woman was not happy with him at all. And an unhappy Syne made for an extremely unhappy Naruto.

He remembered with a shudder what happened when he came back from his Wave mission and refused her for an entire month after she had come back from a four month mission not even a week later. She'd cornered him after work and… rented him to a couple men. It was one of Naruto's worst memories. He hadn't been able to look at any of his team members for weeks. It took several boiling hot showers just to get their feel off his body. The entire time through the _'rent,' _Syne had the torture seal as high as it could go, any higher and it surely would have killed him. This was also the first time since then that he'd fought back.

So, to say the very least, Naruto was terrified. If Shizune found out and told everyone and Syne found out that she was caught… he would die. He only needed a few more months before he was free and now everyone and their brother seemed to suddenly care and want to help. It wasn't their fault, he couldn't blame them. It wasn't like they knew they were practically holding a noose around his neck. It was with a distraught ache in his heart that he knew what needed to be done. The only way to get Shizune off his back was to get better and the only way to do that would be to… to go to Syne.

Naruto shifted his hands underneath the blanket. It was early afternoon and Shizune sat in his kitchen, paperwork on the table, as she waited for him to wake up. He had been pretending to sleep for the last hour, furiously trying to figure out a way to get around the situation without going to Syne and failing miserably. Naruto performed a quick kage bunshin to replace him as he quietly grabbed a shirt and his shoes. Without a sound Naruto slipped through the open window and went out of the apartment. He would need to see Syne this afternoon, but there were several things he needed to take care of before that, that a worried Shizune would not allow him to.

First, he needed to see his team and explain why he had been gone for the second day in two weeks. If not for Shizune being there and turning off his alarm, Naruto would never have missed a day of work like this. He needed to get Guruko from Sakura and do some serious persuading. After that he would have to go to the bar and make up some excuse to not come in tonight or tomorrow night. Shizune would most likely stay with him tonight and would not allow him to go out. She would probably have a heart attack if she knew about his extra job anyway. He would also have to make a deal with Syne, something that would make her stop the seal tonight besides telling her that he would cooperate tomorrow night. Naruto's hand went to his stomach, gently touching the skin there. He lost the fat like she had wanted him to, maybe he could make it a bargaining chip.

She'd been right when she said he had been indulging himself. Any time Iruka offered to buy him dinner, when Kakashi would take his team out or when they were on missions where the client was paying, or especially while he was with the rich Jiraiya, Naruto took all these opportunities to stuff his face with food as much as he could. It didn't matter what it was: soup, vegetables, meats, deserts, fish…whatever it was, he ate it and even asked for seconds, eating until his stomach was unpleasantly full. He had spent most of his life starving so he took advantage of it when he was offered free food. Quite often he'd been the blunt of Sasuke's or Sakura's jokes during meals, back then he'd thought they'd merely been teasing but now…

He'd noticed the gain in weight over the past few months and hadn't really minded at all. It had felt nice to be honest. No matter how hard he worked out he didn't get dizzy. His stomach never ached and during spars it didn't hurt nearly as bad when Sasuke manage to get a hit to his stomach. He felt stronger than ever and, to him, his punches seemed more powerful. Even when his pants had gotten a little tight he hadn't minded. She noticed though.

It started with small remarks a little over a month ago as they would pass each other in the halls. Never anything that could attract the attention of an accidental passerby, just seemingly innocent things, like a hidden code between them. She would say something and Naruto, as it was coming from her, would know that she meant it in the absolute worst way imaginable. She would comment that his jacket didn't seem so big on him anymore. On her way out of her apartment she would gently pinch his scarred cheek and say how much fuller they looked today. She always talked as if she was speaking with a nephew, 'teasingly' say how Ichiruku's ramen stand must be the richest in Konoha with how much food he engulfed there. Once, the last time before Guruko started to stay with him, she was even angry enough with him to whisper in his ear about how round his ass cheeks had gotten in the time she was away. She never lost her temper in public. It hadn't quite been the nail to get him to go on a diet, but it had been enough to avoid getting seconds on his missions outside Konoha. When it had really hit home that he had gotten fat was when she cornered him outside the bar with the green eyed Anbu woman and they had… brought him back to Syne's apartment.

He flinched as he remembered being pinned to the bed, her hands going down his ass and legs, while he struggled against her. She had frowned at him, a look of disgust on her face as she tugged his pants off of him. _"Tut, tut, you naughty child, you've gained quite a bit of weight haven't you? It felt good to get those pants off didn't it? To let that fat ass of your hang out? These tubby legs of yours must have been screaming for air with how tight your pants looked. You know, there's nothing worse than a fat slut." Her fingers gently pinched the skin on his stomach and then slap it a little. "Soon you'll need to get bigger sized pants and be rolled to missions!"_ She was always cruel, but for some reason those words had been particularly painful. Maybe it was because he cared a lot about what he looked like and she knew it, because for the longest time he blamed the hatred everyone felt for him on his looks. She knew he hated the possession marks on his face and always made sure to comment on how horrendously ugly they made him look.

Every day at the orphanage the children there would talk about the whisker-like scars and call him an ugly freak for it. Many of the foster parents told him what an unbelievably ugly child he was. The marks. His blonde hair. The tan skin. His icy blue eyes. He knew that all these things were uncommon in Konoha and for a time he'd tried everything to hide them. Hooded jackets. Big hats. Nothing worked. These thoughts of how incredibly ugly he looked were only reinforced by the fact that no one at the academy wanted to talk to him. He was always nice, yet they seemed to hate him on sight. When all the girls started commenting on how "handsome" and "cute" Sasuke was and seemed to love and adore him for his looks, it was like confirmation for him. Everyone liked Sasuke because he was good looking even if he was cold and antisocial. Everyone hated him because he was really ugly, even if he was nice and cheerful. It made logical sense to him. After all, they hadn't even started ninja training so how could they know who was a good student and who wasn't?

Even though he had gained a bit of weight, he hadn't thought that he'd gotten fat, but maybe that was just him being naïve? He'd unknowingly added another ugly feature to himself and the thought bothered him immensely. Why hadn't anyone mentioned that he'd gotten fat? Surely someone noticed? Had Sasuke and Sakura been trying to tell him he'd gotten fat when with their comments about how much he ate? A part of his mind told him that it wasn't his looks that people hated him for but for the Kyuubi. For ten years he'd thought it was his looks though. For two he thought it was because he was a demon, like Syne told him. It was only the past year that he knew the truth of Kyuubi sealed inside of him and thus ten years far outweighed the emotional scale than one. He purposely had no mirrors in the house because he hated looking at himself. What didn't help the matter was that Naruto had no idea what a healthy weight for his size was supposed to be.

So for the past few weeks he had been weighing himself in his bathroom and sneaking into the bathroom in the Hokage tower after missions to take peeks at himself. He would lift up his shirt and touch his stomach in disgust as it moved a little. Not knowing that he was actually slightly underweight for his age and height. Plus, with only having the comments of others to go by, left Naruto feeling that the slight movement of his stomach was a very bad thing. Naruto looked at the mirror image with self loathing, his eyes trained on the lard of fat his mind saw.

* * *

As Naruto neared the training ground where Team 7 practiced, he felt his arm itch horribly but ignored it. Now that he was close enough he could see that it was only Sakura with Pakkun and Guruko off to the side a bit, watching her practice a low level medical scalpel. "Sakura-chan!" Naruto called out with a wave. She turned and when her eyes fell on him they turned angry. Naruto stiffened at the glare, it reminded him so much of the _look_ he nearly bulked and stepped back. At the last second he managed to reign in the feeling and not react. Sakura crossed her arms and glared angrily at him as Guruko came and sat beside him.

"You leave my party early. Fine. You ask me to take over your responsibility for Guruko for the night. Fine. I open up my presents and find out my own teammate didn't even get me a birthday present. That hurt, but okay. You don't pick Guruko up this morning like you promised. Irritating. You don't come to the bridge so we can't take any missions. That pisses me off. I have to pay for Guruko's lunch out of my own pocket because you still haven't picked him up? What the hell is wrong with you? This is the second time in two weeks that you've missed missions!" Sakura yelled out, anger leaking in every word.

Naruto had forgotten about the present. He didn't have the heart yesterday to give it to her after what Sasuke did. It had lost its specialness. He'd left it in the pocket of his jacket in the apartment. A part of him whispered that it didn't really matter, that she wouldn't wear it anyways, because it came from him, her worthless teammate. He tried hard to push such thoughts as far down as he could, but more often than not, they still managed to seep in. Naruto opened his mouth to explain, but Sakura cut him off.

"Nevermind, I know exactly what's wrong with you! You're selfish and arrogant and always try to be the center of attention. When you told me the other day you wanted to change for the better I believed you, but you're not even trying. Your nothing like Sasuke and will never be as good as Sasuke. Sasuke gave me a present that took a lot of time and effort to think of. He showed that he cared about his teammate. I would have been happy with a simple card! But no, you didn't even do that. It really hurt, you know? You were only there for half an hour before you left and gave me the job of watching Guruko at my own birthday party. I bet you didn't even have a sick friend. God, now that I think about it, that's one of the most common ditch excuses ever used! Sasuke stayed for the whole party and even offered to watch Guruko _and_ Pakkun for me because it was my birthday. Sasuke arrived on time but went to train by himself after we realized you weren't coming."

Each jibe felt a little worse than the last. Somehow, more so than anyone else he knew, Sasuke and Sakura knew just the right words that cut the deepest. He had already felt incredibly guilty about the present, already felt bad about having to leave Guruko with Sakura. He had been doubting himself horribly ever since his fight with Sasuke on the roof and been wondering if his teammates thought him as worthless as he felt. It was as if Sakura peered into his mind and picked the best insults Naruto himself could think of before laying them out before him in her own voice. _You can never even be compared to Sasuke. You're worthless. You're a monster Naruto. Nothing you can ever do can change who you are. I don't want anything to do with you, I don't even want you as a teammate. You don't care about your team, how could you? You're a monster._

Naruto swallowed, but his throat felt dry and it caused a dry lump to stay in his throat. How did he somehow always end up screwing everything up? He hadn't planned on collapsing in the streets or Anko bringing him home or Ibiki getting Shizune or Shizune turning his alarm off and keeping him in bed. He hadn't planned on sleeping till twelve because Shizune put medicine inside the teacup she'd given him. He'd planned on picking Sakura up a present that Sasuke hadn't already gotten her on his way to her house in the morning, planned on apologizing and saying he forgot to give it to her last night, planned on arriving on time and doing his job, planned on being there for his teammates. For him though, plans never seemed to go the way he wanted.

It hurt so bad and the itch in his arm had intensified to an almost unbearable ache. Sakura accused him of not being there for his teammates, for not caring about them. For him, that was the worst insult anyone could ever give him, more so than even monster. His very purpose for living, the reason he got up each day, was to do just that. That was his role in life, to be there for his team and to protect them. More so than anything else in the world he wanted his team to care as much about him as he did them. But as long as he could stay by their side and protect them then knowing that they'll never care that much about him was something he could handle. As long as they were safe and happy he was content. For her to say that to him was like a physical stab wound.

Sakura stood in front of him, her tirade over, and waited for him to reply. When Naruto just stood there and refused to say anything Sakura began to tap her foot in irritation.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Sakura finally snapped after a few minutes.

Guruko growled at her threateningly, which Sakura just glared back at even as the dog moved between her and her teammate. She had learned through the night that Guruko had for some reason or another become rather attached to Naruto and got angry whenever the blonde was insulted in front of him. Sakura had thought it was cute last night but at the moment it just annoyed her. Naruto mumbled something causing Sakura to raise her gaze from the dog to Naruto. For some odd reason Naruto wasn't wearing his forehead protector and with his head bent down slightly his too long bangs covered his eyes completely.

"What? I didn't hear you." Sakura asked huffily.

"Why are you even angry?" Naruto asked softly. Sakura felt fury rush through her. He had the gall to… she just finished explaining why she was angry! She opened her mouth to reply but Naruto stopped her. Naruto's head moved up and Sakura stared in shock. Naruto's blue eyes were shining with hurt that she had never witnessed before, tears threatening to fall at any moment. Naruto bit his lip, looking at the ground for a moment as if hesitant to continue, before he turned to her again. "Why are you even mad? Any other time you would be more than happy that I'm not around." Naruto whispered unsteadily. Then, quietly, he turned around and walked away. Guruko growled at her, absolute hate shining in his eyes as he too turned and trotted after Naruto. Off to the side Pakkun stared after the blonde, a great deal of concern and worry in his eyes as Sakura continued to look at the spot Naruto stood two seconds ago in shock.

"_Well, that was unexpected," _Pakkun muttered.

* * *

Far away just outside the city section of Konoha, Naruto sat down and leaned against a brick wall, trying to recollect himself and inwardly cursing at his own emotional slip up. Guruko nudged the boy's foot with his nose before sitting next to him.

"_Are you alright?" _

"Fine." Naruto answered unconvincingly.

"_You want to talk about it?"_

"No."

"_Alright. I'll be here if you do."_

"Thank You."

* * *

With Guruko by his side, Naruto went to the bar and got the two days off, though grudgingly done. Whether the man admitted it or not, Naruto was one of his best and reliable workers. When it came to talking to Syne, Naruto made Guruko stay outside the apartment building before going to talk to her. He didn't want to take any chances. Syne's apartment, as most Anbu have a tendency to do, held several protection seals on the walls. The rooms were sound proof and, due to Synes teammate being an Inuzuka and thus being well aware of what smell could give away, also smell proof.

Naruto, through a miracle of some kind or another, got Guruko to not say anything to Shizune for the time being. Naruto had a clone henge into Sakura and drop Guruko off before quietly getting rid of the clone in the room and slipping under the covers without the jounin being the wiser. Naruto was correct in assuming that Shizune would stay for the night. When the blonde got up and proved to the women he was alright she 'hm'd" at him and checked his chakra again to make sure it was behaving. Then she disappeared for a half an hour and came back with a grocery bag of food which she then preceded to cook.

Naruto sat at the table with his arms folded and head atop them. His eyes watched the grease drip from the sausages with disgust as she fried them in one of his old pans, but Naruto was not someone who insulted another person's kindness by being rude. Couldn't she have picked something lighter though? Just looking at it was making his stomach queasy. Besides, could he really afford to eat something that looked so fattening? Shizune then cut them up and placed them on top of the noodles she'd boiled a few minutes before hand, adding some kind of red sauce on top of it all. The young medic then made two plates and set one in front of him and herself.

"It smells delicious, doesn't it?" Shizune asked as she dug her fork into it. Naruto stared at the concoction as a piece of the greasy meat slid from the top of the mound to the side.

"What is it?" Naruto asked as he picked up a fork and poked the red covered noodles. Shizune stared at him for a long moment, a piece of noodle half way to her mouth, eyes shining with disbelief.

"You've never had spaghetti before?" Shizune asked after finishing the bite. When Naruto shook his head to indicate he had not, her eyes began to twinkle with mischief. "Then go ahead and try it! It's very good and if you don't want to eat the meat that's fine. I know your still recovering from being sick." Shizune relented. She watched him diligently, wanting to see his expression when the boy first tried it. Naruto hesitantly twirled the noodles onto his fork and put them in his mouth.

The taste was good, he had to admit. And it was a lot less on the heavy side than he'd first thought so his stomach didn't protest. He smiled at Shizune as he swallowed and nodded. "It's very good, you're a really good cook!" Naruto told her. Shizune blushed which caused Naruto to outright laugh.

"_It's about time you ate something other than rice and ramen." _Guruko commented from his spot on the floor. _"Not much of an improvement though, seeing as it's still noodles." _Shizune tilted her head toward the dog and smiled.

"I thought I'd start him off with something he was semi-familiar with before trying other things on him." Shizune admitted. Naruto froze.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked carefully. Shizune smiled at him reassuringly, seriousness suddenly taking over.

"You didn't think I'd just leave you alone after this did you? You obviously need medical care. Your cabinets are empty of food. You look like you belong more in a refugee camp than in the ranks of shinobi. Seriously Naruto, I know you're determined to take care of yourself, but when you're sick, you're suppose to seek help!" Shizune said sternly. Naruto shook his head at her.

"I don't have the money to pay for medical care and I've got enough food to get by to it's fine. Not to mention, being sick has never gotten in the way of any of my shinobi duties. If you hadn't drugged me this morning I would have gone to work like any other day!" Naruto shot back. Shizune frowned at him, sadness clear on her features.

"Lady Tsunade and I are medics, Naruto, and we both care deeply about you. If you needed medical help, you should have come to us immediately. I don't care if you have the money to pay for it or not! Neither of us would have charged you anyways. You should have gone to Kakashi a long time ago for help with this. Enough food to get by? Naruto you're nothing but skin and bones for god's sake! Rice and ramen is not enough to live on and it surprises me to no end that you haven't collapsed while on missions. You can't keep forcing yourself to go to work Naruto. You need to stay home and get better." Shizune told Naruto. Naruto shook his head at her.

"My fever is gone and I'm all better. You don't need to stay here and babysit me like some kid. I've made it this far without help and I've been through worse times so don't worry about me." Naruto said as he slowly put another bite of spaghetti into his mouth. He learned a long time ago that the slower you eat the sooner you feel full. Shizune put her cup down with a loud thud, her eyes blazing angrily.

"You are only better because I was here to temporarily heal you. Whatever it is that's making you sick will come back! I'm not gonna let you live by yourself with this Naruto! I know you were alone as a child, but that's not true anymore. Don't shut out your friends when all they want is to help you." Shizune said, her voice rising to a yell towards the end. Naruto flinched, god he wished she would stop.

"_She's right Naruto. I think you should listen to her. Your sick for many nights during the week and I can tell you're in lot of pain from it." _Guruko added hesitantly. Naruto glared slightly at the dog, irritated with the both of them. He had to think of a way around this fast. "What if…" oh god the coming weeks were going to be horrible. "What if you set up appointments? I'll come every other day to these appointments and you'll check me out. If the sickness comes back then I'll do what you want, but if it doesn't then you'll stop worrying. Okay?" Naruto asked Shizune and Guruko. Shizune looked at Naruto wearily, suspicious of the sudden cooperation from the usually stubborn genin.

"There is still the problem with your heart." Shizune said slowly, watching Naruto for a reaction. "Tsunade needs to examine your heart so that we can get a better idea of how to fix the damage." Naruto flinched horribly at that, hands dropping from the table to his lap. He certainly didn't want to go into another operation, the thought caused a shudder to go down his spine.

"Is that really necessary? Can't I just live with the damage?" Naruto asked. Guruko's cold nose touched Naruto's hand, unsure why the preteen seemed so frightened all of a sudden. _"What's this about heart damage?" _The dog asked as he stared up at Naruto's slightly shaking form. Shizune's eyes softened.

"Naruto's had heart damage since he was very young. Something went very wrong in his last operation and the some of the damage was never fixed. Most likely Naruto will have to have another operation and I'd like to have it done before Naruto goes on another big mission with his team." Shizune explained to the dog. She then turned to Naruto. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but to be completely honest I don't see how your heart hasn't become a problem by now. In fact it makes me think that it has been causing you problems, but it's been damaged for so long you don't know what's normal. Not to mention it greatly effects how well you can control your chakra. An operation soon would be the best for you."

Naruto stared down at his food blankly, unsure how to take the news. "I really… I just… I don't want… can't I just…?" Naruto mumbled out, his hands clenching his pants till the knuckled showed white. Shizune stood from her seat and when she reached Naruto the young medic wrapped her arms around the small genin. Naruto shook, shaking his head from side to side, as if denying it would make the problem go away. After several long minutes Naruto stilled in the women's arms and sagged against her frame.

"It won't be anyone else right? Just you and Tsunade?" Naruto asked quietly.

Shizune squeezed Naruto's shoulder's tightly.

"I swear to God that no one else with so much as touch you." Shizune promised.

Naruto bit his lip hard, eyes trained on the ground, avoiding Guruko's imploring stare. "I… I really don't have the money to pay medical bills for something like that." Naruto protested weakly. Shizune smiled.

"Tsunade and I will pay for it and I don't want to hear about any attempts at paying us back." Shizune said sternly. Silently and hesitantly Naruto nodded his head.

"Can Iruka stay with me until… you take me in?" Naruto asked, fingers brushing through Guruko's fur. Guruko leaned into the touch, aware that whatever Naruto was so terrified of, only Shizune knew. The sadness in the women's eyes spoke volumes as she looked down at the dog's human friend.

"I promise, Iruka can stay with you till you go in." Shizune said reassuringly. Naruto nodded his head again.

"Alright." Naruto finally answered, Shizune squeezed his shoulders tightly once more, trying to give him some of her courage. She knew how difficult this would be for him. The last operation a horrific nightmare that she was sure caused the boy to wake up screaming in the night. "Good. Now for food, I'm going to be here at five every day to cook dinner for you! When I come I'll check up on you physically." Shizune chirped. So caught off guard was the boy he actually fell out of his chair.

"What?!" Naruto asked horrified.

* * *

Shizune stayed all last night, periodically checking Naruto's temperature every half an hour. Naruto tried to get her to leave early, saying that he was completely fine, but she would have not any of it. Naruto didn't get sick that night because Syne hadn't called him, just as they'd agreed. That meant tonight Naruto would have to willingly go to her place. He and Shizune had talked for quite a while, deciding when he should go see Tsunade with her. They'd decided that they would wait a week from then until Shizune was sure that the illness wasn't going to come back. They would do it next Monday and then decide from there whether he needed an operation or if something else could be done to fix the problem. Piles of problems seemed to have fallen like a set of dominos, each new one setting off another and each just as bad as the last. All the stress was getting to him.

Another problem was Shizune. The women seemed determined to make him gain weight. She hadn't been satisfied until he'd eaten at least half the plate and she planned on doing it every single night. He really didn't understand why she felt compelled to make him eat so much food, but he was not happy about it. He'd worked hard to shed the ten or so pounds he had gained from pig outs and Syne would be really angry with him if she saw him gaining them again. It made him a bit annoyed that after all of Sasuke and Sakura's teasing and insults about him eating so much that they hadn't even noticed that he'd stopped the last month or so ago. It didn't bother him too much though, because neither of them ever said anything towards him about anything unless it was negative so Naruto took their silence as a good thing. He'd have to find a way to eat the food for Shizune and not gain weight for Syne. His head was beginning to hurt as he attempted to take control of the situation.

Training among the members of Team 7 was uncomfortable and tense. Naruto didn't want to talk with Sasuke or Sakura at the moment due to Sasuke's betrayal and the argument he'd had with Sakura. Sasuke who, feeling slightly guilty but mostly contented with the hurt he'd caused Naruto, stayed in his own little area practicing fire jutsu. He was still incredibly angry with Naruto for their unfinished fight on the rooftops of the hospital and felt that Naruto deserved the treatment he was getting from him. Sakura, still shocked by what Naruto said to her yesterday, meekly took the scroll of medical information she'd been given to read and sat at the other end of the training ground.

The suffocating silence between them was painful. While Naruto didn't want to talk to them, another part of him was dying to break down and tell them how horrible everything had been for him the last few weeks. They were the closest thing he had to what someone would call siblings and he desperately needed them at the moment. The problem was that they were part of the problem. His life this past few weeks wouldn't have been nearly as bad without them adding on to it. How could he tell them that he needed a heart operation? How could he say that he was terrified by it? How could he tell them that he had been attacked by someone and been hoping that they would notice his absence from missions and come find him? How could he explain to them his financial problems and being sick and how hard it had been just to go to work? How could he tell them anything when he wasn't sure if they even gave a damn about him?

He was the only one in the rookie twelve that they treated so callously. He was the only one that they so casually insulted and ridiculed on a daily basis. He was the only one that they managed to forget to say happy birthday to. He was the only one that got hit for the smallest mistake. They treated their own teammate as if he was an enemy that needed to be constantly put down so that he didn't become a threat. The question was, was what threat they thought he could pose?

He would always consider them to be the most important people in his life, but now and since the beginning, he could never trust them with his problems. There was a thick glass wall between him and them. It was acceptable to tell them happy things and to smile and laugh with them, but anything deeper or darker had to be held inside and ignored. And that was okay with him, because he was so used to doing it with everything in his life anyways. All he needed was one thing to make it through the day and it was definitely not a person. He desperately needed that stress reliever before he had to go see Syne.

* * *

Naruto wouldn't look at him. As they walked home from training, Guruko noticed that Naruto was being extremely quiet. His eyes were focused solely on the ground directly in front of him the whole way. It had annoyed the dog that they had gotten to the training field only to have the three supposed teammates do everything in their power to ignore each other. Guruko tried to get Naruto to talk to his teammates, but the preteen adamantly refused to speak with them. Not that the dog really blamed him after what the two of them had said and done to the blonde. When they walked into the apartment, Naruto went about normally, pouring Guruko some more food and watering his plants.

"Guruko, I'm going to go take a shower, alright?" Naruto said softly as he moved to the bathroom.

"_Fine, just don't take too long, Shizune will be here in an hour." _The dog called stretched as he padded over to his water bowl, listening as the shower turned on in the background. Guruko couldn't help but snicker. For a guy Naruto always took a really long time in the shower. The alarm went off in Naruto's room, the annoying buzz ringing through the small apartment. Naruto must have forgotten to turn it off before they left this morning and the stupid thing had probably been going off every ten minutes.

Guruko glowered in hatred at it as he slunk into the small bedroom. He knocked the abomination off of the dresser and let it fall to the ground with a thunk, smiling in satisfaction. The stupid thing was still ringing though. Guruko hit it several times, trying to push the tiny little buttons to shut it up. At one point he even lightly chewed on the block of noise, mindful that Naruto would be angry if he broke another alarm clock. Still, the thing continued to ring incessantly.

Guruko gave up and went to the bathroom door to get Naruto so that he could stop it. _"Naruto!" _Guruko called, paw scratching the door. No one answered. _"Naruto, your alarm is driving me insane!" _Still no answer. _"Irritating blond." _Guruko muttered as he glared at the door in front of him and smirked. The front door was always locked so Guruko could not open it, but the bathroom door was a completely different story. Guruko pulled off his blue vest like jacket, teeth careful not to poke holes in the materal, and expertly swung it upwards. Pulling on the cloth when it began to descend and catching it on the knob. '_Let's see if Pakkun could do that!'_ Guruko thought triumphantly.

Guruko twisted his head and turned the knob, quickly pushing his body against the wooden rectangle to open it wide. So what if he embarrassed Naruto a little, if it meant getting the evil alarm to shut off. Guruko let the vest-like-jacket flutter to the ground as he walked through the doorway and stopped dead in his tracks. His entire body was frozen as a pair of frightened blue stared back at him in shock.

Naruto wasn't in the shower. In fact he was still fully dressed, his jacket the only article missing, laying on top of the toilet seat. The blonde had his back against the tub with his legs sprawled out in front of him. That wasn't what Guruko was staring at though. Naruto's face was struck with pure horror as Guruko caught him in the act. From his elbow down six long inches sat a row of deep bloody cuts, some could be considered gashes, on his right arm. Naruto's left hand held a sharp, blood covered razor frozen in the midst of cutting another jagged line into his right arm. They both just stared at each other before one of them began to move, ready to stop the other by any means necessary.

* * *

A/N

Slight Spoiler!

**Part One: Accidental Companions**

Chapter 1: To speak or not to speak

Chapter 2: Get back in bed!

The people in the apartment building are so nice…

Chapter 3: Sometimes I pretend…

Chapter 4: Team 7's complex relationship

Chapter 5: You work where?

Chapter 6: Congratulations Sakura

Chapter 7: Orange monster

Chapter 8: Two necklaces

Chapter 9: Fire and Ice

Chapter 10: My heart…

Chapter 11: Discovering how Naruto copes

Chapter 12: Brother

Chapter 13: Sasuke fed up

Chapter 14: Ino's brilliant prank!

Chapter 15: Broken Memory Seal

Chapter 16: Kakashi FINALLY returns

Chapter 17: Guruko stands tall

Chapter 18: Guruko and Naruto

Chapter 19: Sasuke and Sakura

Chapter 20: Tsunade's final Decision!

(Chapter 20 will include summary for Part Two!)

**Part Two: Healing Companion (Premiers July!) **


	12. Brother

Disclaimer: I own Naruto. Yay!… No I'm not Kishimoto but… No I don't have any contracts with anyone… but you said… then why do I have to write a disclaimer if I don't own Naruto!? I'm using his ideas… but… can't you see I'm not a Japanese man half way across the world? You have to have me write it for legal purposes? Why? That's like someone being stupid enough to do something like sue McDonalds for being burned by hot coffee… there is someone who has done that? What… rules like these were made because stupid people need to see everything in print? Alright! Fine! I'll write it for all the stupid people out there who think I'm an awesome Japanese top notch manga writer instead of an American female college student! I do not own Naruto.

HUGE AUTHORS NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO SOUND SHINOBI COMING TO GET SASUKE IN THIS FIC. I'VE ERASED THAT EVENT FROM THIS STORYLINE.

IT IS OF MY OPINION THAT THE MOMENT SASUKE GOES TO OROCHIMARU THEN THE ABILITY TO WRITE A STORY WITH SASUKE IN IT IS LIMITED TO A VERY FEW PLOTS AND IDEAS. SASUKE STILL HAS THE MARK BUT OROCHIMARU HAS BRAINS IN THIS STORY AND THUS KNOWS HE WON'T GET SASUKE'S BODY FOR THREE YEARS SO DOESN'T PLAN ON GOING AFTER HIM FOR THREE YEARS. WHO THE HELL TRAINS SOMEONE JUST TO BE KILLED BY THAT PERSON BEFORE YOU TAKE OVER THEIR BODY? WHY WOULD YOU EVEN TRAIN SOMEONE THAT YOU PLAN ON TAKING OVER ANY WAY? DOESN'T IT MAKE SENSE THAT YOU WOULD NOT MAKE THE PERSON STRONGER THAN YOU SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO THROUGH WITH YOUR PLANS?

Anyway... Sasuke still needs to get through his dickliness before he can be a good character, he's not gonna be automatically nice even if I'm staying away from canon events after Tsunade arc.

Windschild8178: Okay. Exam week and I've only got like 15 minutes of a break for this. I will be unavailable for the next five days. Cheerful Regression's got the same problem. Fortuna16 beta'd alone these last two weeks so I'd like to give a huge thanks! Any who. I'm putting this up now cause I won't have time later. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 12: Brother

"Naruto-kun, I just noticed the pup is not around, where's Guruko?"

"He's asleep on my bed, out like a light."

Shizune nodded as she piled white rice onto a plate, placing a decent amount of curry on top, before setting it in front of Naruto.

"Hey Shizune?"

"Hm? Yes Naruto-kun?"

"Thanks for helping me and all, I know I don't really deserve it."

Shizune sat down slowly into her own seat, staring as Naruto pushed his spoon into the food and gingerly, almost cautiously, took a bite. The preteen stared down at the food, eyes not really seeing anything at all.

"What would make you say something like that?" Shizune asked worriedly. Naruto looked up at her, the blank look in his eyes clearing a bit to show her confusion.

"What would make me say what?" He asked, a frown forming on his lips. Shizune folded her hands over each other with an elbow on either side of her plate, becoming slightly weary and concerned.

"Why would you say you don't think you deserve help?" Shizune asked.

Naruto looked away. Shrugged. Took another bite. Swallowed. "Just… it's not like I've ever done anything to help you or for you to even like me. If anything, all my pestering for books on herbs and medicine has probably driven you up the wall with annoyance. So for you to come and make me dinner like this, to have stayed all night with me yesterday, to check to make sure I'm not sick, or how you promised to help me with my heart problem. It's extremely kind of you, especially since you know I don't have anything or anyway to repay you for it all." Naruto mumbled out, shame quite evident on his face as he admitted the last part. Shizune inwardly scowled. Yet again Naruto's past reared its ugly head. He expected people to take from him until there was nothing left and then leave. The confusion and surprise on his face when she helped him with anything was enough to break her heart.

"You've never annoyed me at all! I've enjoyed helping you and your company is greatly welcomed. I love Lady Tsunade as if she were my own sister, but that woman could give even a monk a headache. You're the only one I know who calls her on her behavior. It's a great relief. Not to mention…" Shizune said standing up and leaning over the table so that her and Naruto's face were only a foot apart. Naruto blinked in surprise, leaning back a bit. "You're like my little brother. I could no more allow you to be hurt than I could let Lady Tsunade!" Shizune said, grinning widely. Naruto blushed horribly.

"Your brother?" Naruto asked quietly, more than a little stunned. Shizune nodded her head.

"Good as blood." Shizune answered.

Naruto bent his head down further, allowing his too long bangs to fall in front of his eyes as a horrendously large blush dominated his face. Shizune burst out in laughter, putting her hand on his head and ruffling the soft hair playfully.

When dinner ended and Shizune had to leave, the woman carefully placed her hand on Naruto's forehead, feeling the cool surface. There were no signs of a high temperature. Shizune smiled. "If you so much as feel hot or nauseous, I want you to come staight to the Hokage's office so I can help you out. If I come tomorrow and find you sick you're in trouble!" Shizune said. Naruto nodded and gave her a large grin as he walked her to the door. The moment Shizune turned the corne,r Naruto closed the door and slid down against it till his bottom gently hit the floor. Taking a shaky breath Naruto pulled up his long blue sleeve that he'd put on just before Shizune arrived. As the soft material was brought up all the way to his shoulder bandages with specks of blood over the area revealed themselves to icy blue eyes. The memory of only a few hours ago guiltily seeping its way into the front of his mind…

* * *

_The entirety of his mind was focused on one thing. The deep red lines that grew longer with each slice of the razor. It was the only thing that could keep the memories at bay for a short while. The only thing that temporarily made his heart stop hurting for a moment. It was the only thing that kept him from breaking further than he already was. He wanted… no he needed the feeling of that sharp pain to drown out everything. As long as he could have it for a few minutes each day, he could handle whatever people threw at him. And thanks to the Bijuu inside of him, it wasn't even dangerous, no matter how deeply he cut, it was always fully healed by the time night came. Sure he felt a little dizzy afterward when he did it, and perhaps he'd blacked out a couple times in the past when he'd been extremely upset and tore his arms and legs to ribbons, but those things could easily be overlooked. The blade was like a godsend for him despite how he was introduced to the habit. _

_He remembered it perfectly. It had been a rough month. The Chunin who was suppose to give him his orphan stipend didn't show up for the third time in seven months so all he had to work with was the money he worked for at the shipping job. Almost all of it went to rent, leaving him starving. He had resorted to stealing five times that month alone. Naruto made sure not to steal more than he absolutely needed, mostly to go against the dark voice that always whispered in the back of his mind that told him to do horrible things. _

_Back before he knew about the fire Bijuu being sealed inside of him, he'd thought that dark voice that spoke to him of horrible things was a part of him. He thought that he was a horrible person for thinking such things and did everything he could to do the complete opposite. As a child the voice terrified him, but now Naruto knew how to locate the chakra thread that was the mental link between him and his Bijuu and could temporarily disconnect it. When the kitsune fire spirit first found himself cut off from his Jinchuuriki, he was furious beyond belief and raged inside his cage enough to cause the seal on Naruto's stomach to burn and bleed. Safe to say Naruto only cut the link when he absolutely could not take the Kyuubi's dark murmurings anymore. _

_The nine year-old pinpointed his next target with ease, a young man of eighteen or nineteen years with blonde hair and gray eyes, who just left a grocery store with three large bags. He wouldn't be able to do much if Naruto just nicked a little something from his bag and ran. Those were the best targets. So Naruto moved in slowly, bending his head so that his possession marks were invisible to the crowd, and expertly slashed a whole and grabbed a can of pees in one go. _

_Apparently he wasn't fast enough though because a hand grabbed a hold of his upper arm. Stunned he looked up to see the young man bagless and angry. Naruto quietly looked around to find that the bags were neatly on the ground and noted with a cringe that the grip that held him was stronger than any civilians. 'Fuck. A Shinobi.' Naruto instantly surmised. The young man knelt down in front of him and as the older blonde caught sight of Naruto's face the man. Naruto cringed and looked away, anywhere but at his face. The young man looked at his bags, an idea forming in his mind, before the anger in his eyes focused into a hard icy glint. The grip tightened. _

_"So the monster is stealing now, ne?" The young man's grip tightened further and Naruto screamed. _

_People stopped and looked worriedly around, some even looked scared, until they caught sight of who it was being hurt. Then they turned and walked away. Naruto bit his lips as a few tears escaped. The man's grip tightened further until the sound of something cracking filled the air and let out another scream. The man had broken his arm. The grip loosened and let go. Naruto fell to his knees instantly, nursing his broken arm and bending his head forward in an attempt to hide the tears that were falling. Still, no one stopped to help. The man smirked, picked up his bags and left. After a few minutes Naruto left as well, legs shaking badly, hiccups from repressing a sob causing his chest to hurt._

_Three weeks later a middle aged man named Wie came to the academy to test the mental stability of the students to see if they would be able to continue next year. It was done at the end of the school year for precautions against a second coming of the incident with Itachi Uchiha the year before and would continue each year after. When it was Naruto's turn the boy had been blown away by how nice the man was. He talked to him warmly, asked him about himself and in return told Naruto about his own life. It was the first time in his life that someone had simply asked him: 'How are you?' 'You can tell me anything.' At that point Naruto had been so desperate to talk to somebody who would be nice to him that he spilled his guts to the man, telling him about everything that was bothering him, begging the man to tell him what was wrong with him and why everyone hated him no matter what he did. He wanted to know what it was that everyone hated about him so that he could fix it. _

_The man had nodded in understanding and a sad look on his face. Naruto had fallen for the act without a second thought. "The Hokage has been very concerned about you and asked me to talk to you about how to handle your situation. I'm not allowed to tell you why everyone hates you…" At this Naruto's face had fallen, but the warm hand on his back and the reassuring smile from Wie had caused him to feel warm inside for the first time in a long time, so Naruto listened. "I know how I can make you feel better though, it's a special therapy that I only recommend to those with particularly bad childhoods, such as yourself." The graying middle aged Wie dug into his bag and pulled out a set of razors. The man sat in front of Naruto, dark brown eyes level with his blue, and gently placed the pack into Naruto's small hands. _

_Naruto had been so desperate to feel any kind of relief that he'd simply nodded as he stared into the man's eyes. Trusting him completely, after all, why would the man be nice if he wanted to hurt him? The man had told him that small cuts relieved mental pressure on a person and that bigger the cut the more a person felt better. The man had warned him that it was a dangerous therapy and that he shouldn't do it too much. Years later Naruto knew the man had depended on the fact that Naruto would 'do it too much.' The man had 'suggested' that if Naruto 'wanted' to keep his 'therapy' a secret from his classmates that he should wear long sleeves after cutting until the marks were healed. Wie had been well aware of Naruto's desperate need to be accepted and knew that the boy wouldn't get caught. _

_Years later Naruto knew what Wie had done, understood the manipulation, and silently, fiercely hated the man. He'd tried stopping on his own before on several occasions, but by the end of the week he was desperate for that feeling of numbness and freedom that cutting supplied. More than anything else though was that he didn't want anyone else to know about his weakness. He didn't want anyone to see how much their jibes and hits hurt because he was afraid that they would simply use it against him as everyone that had ever seen him weak had done. _

_The children and caretakers at the orphanage. _

_The foster parents that temporarily took care of him. _

_Wie the academy psychologist. _

_Mosh his old landowner. _

_Syne and Fajan his current apartment landowners. _

_Even the third Hokage had deeply hurt him by not telling him the truth, by constantly lying to him, and leaving so many gaps in the few answers he gave. So Naruto would never admit that he cut to anyone because to him it was admitting he wasn't nearly as strong as he wanted everyone to think. Admitting that he was weak was like admitting that he wasn't good enough to be around them, to be their friend. _

_So Naruto was struck with absolute terror when the sound of the doorknob twisting rang through his ears. His hand paused in the cut he was making, blood dripping from the razor edge. The door swung open and there stood Guruko, the sharp toothy grin on his face turning into one of shocked horror, a look that Naruto was sure he mirrored. Naruto watched as the dawning of realization came to the dog's eyes as he understood what he was seeing. The blade slipped from Naruto's hand as the tips of his fingers turned blue with chakra. Before Guruko could so much as blink two glowing fingers touched a furred forehead and the dog's body crumbled to the ground. _

_A simple sleeping jutsu that the third had taught him. Naruto had spent months in the hospital before the operation took place and in that time the third would visit him as much as his job allowed, about once every three or so days. In that time Sarutobi found out about Naruto's nightmares and would put him to sleep using this jutsu. It placed the person in a deep dreamless sleep and depending on how much chakra one used you could put someone to sleep for a few hours or a few days. He had begged Sarutobi to teach him it for weeks before the old man relented. He remembered the large smile on the man's face that day when he laughed excitedly at finally getting it after several hours of working on it. Naruto had packed enough chakra into those two fingers to knock Guruko out for at least a day and a half. _

_Naruto breathed hard, willing his heart to calm down before it exploded in his chest. He truthfully thought the pain there had been caused by Syne's torture seal so Shizune's announcement that his heart was still damaged had been a shock and scare for him. Naruto coughed, the quick movement combined with the blood loss causing him to be extremely dizzy. He'd never actually been forced to move like that while cutting. Naruto had to keep both hands on the ground to steady himself, the steady stream of Kyuubi's chakra healing his cuts already, and excess blood dripping warmly down his arm. _

_What was he going to do? Guruko knew his secret. The dog knew almost all his secrets now. What the hell was he supposed to do now? God, why couldn't the damn dog keep his nose out of his business? This… he knew that he could no longer get Guruko to stay quiet. He couldn't keep the dog asleep forever, he had a day and a half before he woke up, what the fuck was he supposed to do? It was getting harder to breath. Naruto slowly moved his body against the bathroom wall, trying desperately to keep the panic attack at bay, to keep himself from doing something stupid that got himself killed. _

_Naruto looked at the sleeping dog, biting his lip, before looking around the bathroom. There was a trail of blood on the floor from his open wound, blood on Guruko, blood all over his clothes. Shizune would be there in less than forty minutes. Control. He needed to control this situation. Clean up the blood, put Guruko to bed, and smile for Shizune. He would deal with the rest of the world after that. Naruto shakily got to his feet. _

* * *

Naruto continued to stare at his arm, his eyes once in a while wandering toward the bedroom where Guruko was lying safely on his bed, in a deep sleep. A part of him felt guilty about what he'd done, but another part of him knew that it was the best way to handle his current situation. There was something else he needed to do, he needed to go see Syne tonight, but he didn't want to do that after stuffing his face like that at dinner. Syne would be able to tell, she always could, and then his bargaining chip for getting off until after Tsunade did the check up would be shot.

Naruto unsteadily got to his feet and made his way back into the bathroom. Leaning over the toilet, Naruto forced a finger down his throat, forcing himself to vomit up everything he'd just eaten. Naruto coughed harshly as some of it got caught in his throat, the disgusting half digested food unwillingly to come back up, another heave finally getting it all out. Naruto spit, the awful taste of acid and food still in his mouth, before rinsing water in his throat and spitting again. Guilt nagged at his conscious, Shizune's face coming to his mind, but he quickly batted it away. He didn't understand why she wanted him to eat so much anyway. Naruto flushed the toilet.

For the next two hours Naruto sat on the couch, eyes glued to the clock on the wall, willing it to slow as the time neared. He had promised to meet her at eight. It was irrational to be so terrified of what was about to happen. It had happened often enough and while the pain was unbearable at times he always lived through it. He should be used to being used and insulted and abused, but still he was afraid. It was always a nightmarish horrible experience that left him sobbing. Sobbing like a weak, worthless, useless little brat. So what if someone hurt him. So what if he was treated like trash. So what if someone raped him. So what if she had the power to kill him at her whim at any given moment of the day and manipulated that over his head to get what she wanted. That was life, the weak are used and thrown away at the strong's leisure, if you were weak it was what you deserved. He'd learned that at a very young age.

Was that really the truth though? In the past year he'd been questioning that. Iruka. Kakashi. Haku. Jiraiya. Tsunade. Shizune. Hadn't his time with them proved otherwise? Didn't they prove that to protect those that are precious to you is what makes you strong? He proved it to himself against Neji and Gaara of all people. Memories of the past year was warring with a lifetime of events and people that all spoke to him in whispers. Iruka's smile fought against a thousand sneers. Kakashi's reassurance of safety fought against every instant of fear. Haku's few words fought to be heard over the constant dark words of Syne and so many others. Jiraiya's willingness to teach him fought against all those who claimed he was too stupid to teach. Tsunade's strength of heart fought a battle of wills against all those that wanted to tear his own heart to pieces. Shizune's help fought against all those who screamed that he didn't deserve it, that he should be killed for being born. This small group of individuals was all that stood in the way of an ocean of darkness that threatened to drown him.

Naruto shakily stood up from the floor of his kitchen/living room and began to go around his tiny home to water his plants. His fingers softly touched each leaf or petal as he moved from one to the other. The beautiful large white patch of flowers that blossomed from a single dying bud he had rescued one stormy night; an aloe plant he'd bought a year and a half ago as a birthday present to himself and what he used for much of the healing ointments he made; lilies that sat directly in front of the window, because they were his mother's favorite, according to Jiji in any case; the Horehound flower for medical herbs that he sold to young women at the hospital under henge; the dracocephyllum tanguticum with purple spiky flower and pointy leaves used for teas that he found growing on a mountain peak in one of his earlier excavations of the village. The spearmint leaves, chamomile flowers and bergamot, collected over the years, were used for teas as well. These were all his favorites from the two dozen or so types of plants he housed in his little apartment. Most of the teas he had own were of his own making as well as the medicine.

As the last plant was watered, part of the cup spilled over the pot and across the floor. Naruto's hands were shaking as the cup was placed beside the plant with a loud thud that echoed throughout the empty apartment. Naruto kneeled, using the tiny side table to keep himself balanced as he tried to reign in the terror that enveloped him. He needed to go. If Syne discovered that people were close to finding out, she would kill him. He needed to cover everything up quick. He would deal with Syne today, Tsunade on Monday, and Guruko somewhere between those two somehow. Naruto stood up and took several deep breaths, steadying himself. He needed to be relatively in one piece to deal with Syne.

Naruto looked at the clock. It was time to go. He walked into his bedroom, sitting on the bed for a moment, hand stroking the head of the fast asleep dog that lay there. He liked talking with the dog, liked the company that Guruko provided in his home, but he would be gone. Kakashi would be back and Guruko would leave. He probably wouldn't ever see him again. And… and he needed to somehow keep the dog quiet about everything.

Perhaps he could pay off a Yamanaka to erase the dog's memories of him? He knew at least one such person within that clan who was greedy enough to do it. Erasing the memories would hurt a lot, it would be essentially erasing his friend, because afterwards Guruko would know of nothing but the smiling idiot again. Could he do it? Before Guruko the third Hokage was the only person he was completely and totally himself around and he rarely got to see the aging man. Even when he was with Shizune, there was still this glass wall between them, distorting his image enough that she didn't see him clearly. Could he erase the first friend to see him completely for who he was?

The answer was yes. Naruto had been making decisions such as this all his life. After all, if Naruto was dead, Guruko being his friend wouldn't matter anyway. Erasing his memory was the best decision, and besides that, Guruko would be better off without ever knowing him. Guruko would continue to be loyal to Kakashi and he would transfer to solo missions once he made Chunin. It would hurt, he knew, but most decisions he was forced to make were painful.

Naruto got up and walked slowly out of the room and exited his apartment. He stilled his shaking hands, not wanting her to see his fear, not wanting her to see his weakness. Her door was not far from his own, on the same floor even, and the walk to the other end of the building was shatteringly short. Rather than knock Naruto simply placed his hand on the door, unwilling to go all the way with the act, and standing in the hall outside her door. His chest ached terribly and for a moment he thought she had activated the torture seal, but soon came to a realization, it was his heart.

Just standing in front of that wretched woman's door was causing his heart to ache with pain. Naruto briefly wondered, as his forehead leaned forward and gently tapped against the door, if it was truly possible for your heart to give out from terror. All the pain he felt at the moment couldn't possibly be from the small damage Shizune had described within the tiny chamber of his heart. The door his body had begun to lean against gave way and Naruto barely stopped himself from falling forward. A soft hand gently took his chin causing Naruto to flinch and turn away from the touch.

"My precious little demon why do you stand out in the hall? Come in." Syne whispered. Her long fingers softly gripped Naruto's shoulder and pulled him inside her home. Naruto stayed quiet, his feet stumbling into her domain, this was the first time in a long time that he had not been forcefully dragged screaming into the home. Her husband, Faju, was out, more than likely drunk in some secret whore house beneath a bar. He felt cold inside as she pulled him into her bedroom and shoved him onto the bed. She placed her hand on his chest, unknowingly causing the pain to intensify, causing Naruto to dig his nails into the bed. He refused so look at her as her fingers played with his clothes, taking the jacket off first, and then his black shirt. Her hands pressed gently against his thin stomach, smiling at the gentle rise of skin where his ribs were, Naruto still refused to look at her. Burning shame and hurt raced through him and he fought against tears. She leaned down against his body and put her lips to his ear.

"Bring out some of Kyuubi's chakra."

* * *

In the early hours of the morning, a mere half an hour before he would normally be up, Naruto stumbled through his door and let himself fall to the wooden floor. He stayed there, quietly sobbing, until he was left completely numb and worn out. Unlike last time, Guruko's comforting form wasn't there, he would have to get used to that again. His body ached all over, he knew he would be limping, and he'd have to find a way to hide the numerous bruises. Never before had it been done on a night that he had to meet his team the following morning. He couldn't just lay here like he normally would after such an encounter. He needed to get up, get ready, and act normally. As normally as he usually did anyway.

Konohamaru Sarutobi was mad, no, more than that, he was furious. Yesterday was the day that shinobi parents were supposed to come to the academy and explain the responsibilities and duties of being a shinobi. His mother had told him nearly a month ago that she wouldn't be able to come in because of some political conference in Cloud she had to attend. Instead he'd asked Naruto to come as his big brother to talk, Iruka had even agreed to allow it, and he'd been so excited about it. Naruto promised him that he would come. _Promised_! Konohamaru hadn't seen Naruto for a couple weeks, but he had had all the faith in the world that Naruto would remember to come. The blond genin had never let him down before. The big day had arrived though and Naruto didn't show up.

It was especially aggravating because Shikamaru and Chouji had come looking for Naruto at the academy because Iruka told them that he would be there. The two didn't know where Naruto lived and had been trying to find the blond for a couple days now for some reason or another. Konohamaru had opened his mouth to tell them where Naruto lived when he realized a very important fact. He didn't know either. It had sent the already mad and disappointed youngster over the edge in anger. Naruto knew where he lived, the blond came by on his ninth birthday to give him a present, so why didn't he know where his big brother lived? And then he realized that he had known Naruto for a year and a half yet Naruto's birthday never came around. There was no talk about it whatsoever by anyone. He'd missed his big brother's birthday without even knowing it!

So Konohamaru was furious, but he wasn't sure if it was at Naruto for missing the big day at the academy, or himself for not knowing the basics about his big brother. Konohamaru wondered if maybe Naruto was mad that he hadn't said happy birthday to him on his birthday, but quickly dismissed that thought. Naruto wasn't someone who got mad about stuff like that. Besides Naruto had PROMISED to come which meant that Naruto would come unless something was stopping him from coming. Konohamaru's anger deflated a bit, but that didn't mean that he was going to let Naruto off easily.

Every day Naruto passed the big fountain in the market place at 6:30 in the morning. Many a times Konohamaru would get up early and meet Udon and Moegi at the corner of the main street and then meet Naruto in time to walk with him to his team meeting place before heading to the academy. Due to the academy being rebuilt after the Sound and Sand invasion they hadn't been able to walk with Naruto lately though. He forgot to mention this little fact to Shikamaru and Chouji. Oops. Oh well, they'd talk to Naruto sooner or later, eventually. Today Naruto was running a little late, which set alarm bells off in the youngster's head, something was off. Konohamaru ordered Udon and Moegi to go ahead to the academy so they wouldn't get in trouble with Iruka sensei.

When he finally saw the bright yellow mop of hair and orange jacket walking down the street he took a big breath to start reprimanding the blonde. Instead of yelling though, he froze, and stared. Konohamaru knew, as did Udon and Moegi, that their big brother figure was the smallest of Konoha's rookie twelve. Even though Naruto wasn't the strongest or coolest looking of the rookie twelve he was still their hero and idol out of all of them. That was because no matter how busy Naruto was, he always made time for them. Naruto always would sit down with them and help them with whatever problems they had, whether they were big or small.

Naruto had taught each of them valuable life lessons, taught them shinobi tricks, and even taught them things outside of shinobi skills. He taught them a lot about cooking and herbs, about what areas to avoid in Konoha and what to do if you were in a dangerous place. He even taught them a lot of different card games one rainy day. More than that though, Naruto taught them about hard work and dedication, about loyalty to your friends, and the importance of keeping your humanity in the life of a shinobi. To him Naruto wasn't just a brother _figure_, but his brother.

So when he saw Naruto he was struck with a great deal of fear. Konohamaru could tell that Naruto had lost weight, his clothes hung on him looser than was natural, and his cheek bone showed where it hadn't before. Naruto was incredibly pale as well and dark rings sat under dull blue eyes. Even though the air outside was only a little chilly for November Naruto hugged his orange jacket to him as if there was a snow storm raging outside. When the blonde walked it was stiff, as if his body ached, and Konohamaru thought he saw Naruto's face twitch in pain when he walked.

"Naruto!" Konohamaru called as he ran up to the blonde, eyes filled with fear. "What's wrong?" Konohamaru demanded. He felt a chill run down his spine as Naruto's eyes focused on him with a great deal of difficulty and confusion. Konohamaru grabbed onto Naruto's coat and pulled him to the fountain. "It's me, Konohamaru, are you okay big bro?" He asked quietly, all thoughts of yelling at the blonde for missing the big academy day gone. Recognition flooded the older boy's eyes and then guilt. Konohamaru winced when Naruto grinned down at him and shook his head.

"Sorry, sorry, I've been sick the last week or so Kono and I'm still recovering. Sorry if I didn't recognize you for a minute." Naruto explained softly, his voice sounding a little hoarse. Konohamaru sighed softly in relief.

"Big bro, if you were so sick why are you out of bed already?" Konohamaru demanded. His small hand went up to Naruto's forehead to check his temperature, feeling the cool forehead there, before scowling at Naruto. "You don't have a fever, but you look horrible." Konohamaru stated as if Naruto was the nine year old who'd done something obviously stupid. "You should go straight to bed and sleep till you're all better! You need to eat stuff like soup and drink lots of water!" Konohamaru continued, naming stuff his own mother had told him he needed to do when he was sick. Naruto smiled at him and ruffled his head of black hair.

"I will, but after my team meets for a few missions today, they're only D rank so it won't be too bad." Naruto said softly. Konohamaru frowned. Naruto obviously wasn't up to doing anything today. He wondered if he should stay with his big brother to make sure he would be alright. "Kono… it's nearly 7:30. You should have been in class half an hour ago." Naruto said more sternly. Konohamaru gave a guilty start and laughed nervously.

"Come on big bro, Iruka sensei's teaching another boring history lesson, it's okay if I'm late." Konohamaru said and then muttered to himself… "or don't go at all." Naruto heard him though and gently tapped the youngster on the top of his head.

"Go to class Kono, you don't want to end up being an idiot like me, right?" Naruto asked teasingly, though Konohamaru frowned anyway. Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon never called Naruto stupid like all of Naruto's friends did. They could tell it stung Naruto to be called that and didn't like it when others did it. Naruto would never normally say something like that though. Naruto must have been really sick and must be really out of it to admit he thought he was stupid.

"You are not stupid big bro." Konohamaru said quietly, but sternly. Naruto just grinned at him again and pushed Konohamaru off in the direction of the academy. Konohamaru glanced back at Naruto, eyes worriedly taking in the sight of his big brother's tired form, before waving his arm and heading in the direction of the school. "If you don't get better soon I'll sic Moegi on you, you hear me Naruto?!" Konohamaru called behind him. Naruto just waved back weakly, a smile tugging at his lips, before heading on his way.

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha was fed up. He was angry. He was frustrated. He was unbelievably jealous. '_Naruto keeps get stronger and stronger, almost abnormally… Compared to our ninja academy days, when he was called a failure… It's virtually unbelievable progress. When I watch him up close, I can tell… He's got some massive power hidden inside of him. Sometimes I even feel afraid. Uzumaki Naruto what in the world are you?'_

"_I know he's the one you're really after."_

"_To take Naruto with us is the supreme order given unto us by the Akatsuki."_

'_Why Naruto? He's nothing but an inept loser! Why would my brother go after him? Naruto is completely incompetent and stupid and yet it was _him _my brother saw worthy of going after? I… how can I get stronger?' _Sasuke thought as he went at the training stump again. Sakura had family business to attend to today so it would just be him and Naruto. If Naruto hadn't decided to skip out on missions the other day he would know that, but thanks to the idiot he was standing there waiting for him to come to inform him of that fact.

Sasuke angrily smashed at the stomp again and again as his thoughts continued to center on the blonde. The fight they had… the giant holes in two tanks… Naruto having done far more damage than him… The trunk smashed to bits. Sasuke stared for a moment at his hand, which had a tiny wisp of smoke smothering from it, and then at the training stomp again. He'd unconsciously performed the chidori without realizing it. That's when he noticed it. The curse mark was retreating back up his arm. Sasuke inwardly snarled in anger.

The raven haired young teen stomped over to the next post and repeatedly slammed his fists into the bark. The curse mark was always screwing everything up for him. In the forest of death, in the prelims, fighting Gaara, the damn thing always left him paralyzed and open to any attack. And it was Naruto who saved him from Gaara, if not for Naruto, he would be dead. How had Naruto done it? How had he been able to improve so much in so little time? Sasuke slammed his fist into the training stump again, his knuckled coming away slightly bloody, his anger felt as if it would consume him if he didn't find a way to let it all out.

"Sasuke? Are you okay?" Naruto's voice asked hesitantly.


	13. Sasuke fed up!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**I'm in the middle of fixing future chapters because of all the new information from the last few weeks from the manga. That's why I broke my promise. I was NOT expecting Naruto's past to pop up like this! Please forgive me!**

Windschild8178: OKAY! Explanation time. My computer was fixed three weeks ago and I was roaring and ready to put out the five chapters when… Kushina showed up in the recent chapters. You see in my story the Third has told Naruto stories about his mother since he was little so I sort of made a background for her. Kushina is Naruto's idol in this particular story and so it was a huge halting until her full story was out so I wouldn't mess anything up. Then she came out with her actually story and I was excited but irritated because I've got a rather big scene pertaining to her in one of the following chapters. And then the whole thing with Kushina being a ***** totally blew me away and I had to (again) adjust my story. I blanked it cause some of you may not be up to that point and I REALLY don't want to spoil it. So I figured I'd set this up for those who don't want a large spoiler:

**SPOILER WARNING! IN UPCOMING CHAPTERS (chapter 16) THERE WILL BE HUGE SPOILERS SO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW UNTIL YOU'VE READ THE CHAPTERS THEN PLEASE DO NOT CONTINUE READING MY STORY! **

So now that I've officially scared off some of my fans those of you who have remained I thank you and hope you review! No spoilers in 13, 14 or 15.

**Chapter 14-17 are not beta'd because of… many irritating problems. The main one being that I am logged on to my mothers computer for aol 8 hours away and therefore cannot send any emails out until I log out on HER computer… I won't be going back until the end of summer. That's why I haven't been replying to review. Oh! There was one review I was able to reply to but it was a fluke… I managed to sign into AOL reply to one review and then big warning signs showed up on my computer and kicked me off. -_- I've tried logging on several times after that… Nothing. -_- Please forgive any little thing I missed. I WENT OVER IT LIKE TEN TIME looking for any mistakes and haven't found any. If there are small mistakes my major apology but I do not plan to go back and fix little things like that. Too troublesome. **

Chapter 13: Sasuke Fed Up

"Sasuke? Are you okay?" Naruto's voice asked hesitantly behind him.

Sasuke felt his anger spike as he spun around and glared venomously at his small blonde teammate. The Uchiha ignored the stinging in his shoulder as the object of his ire seemed to appear out of no where. Usually at this point the blonde would start to yell at him, but for some reason Naruto took a step back, his entire form weary. Sasuke folded his arms over his chest and smirked in contempt.

"Hey, screw up." Sasuke greeted coldly.

At first a hurt look entered the blondes eyes, but it quickly disappeared, as if willed to do so. Naruto eyed him carefully, his eyes now showing their confusion, before he took a step forward.

"What's wrong with you?" Naruto asked, concern showing despite the cold welcome. Sasuke's smirk widened.

"What's wrong with me…" Sasuke repeated quietly, his voice and features calming considerably, "…is none of your business." Sasuke finished, anger seeping through again.

Naruto stared at him with unnerving deep blue eyes that, Sasuke thought, flashed an icy shade for a split second. He quickly dismissed it as a trick of the light. He was loud and obnoxious with a fiery temper that bordered on scary, but Naruto was never cold towards anyone.

"What is it? What have I done towards you for you to be such an ass to me? Why are you so angry with me all the time? What could I have possibly done to piss off your high and mighty ass?" Naruto yelled.

Sasuke glared back fiercely, but then his face stretched into a smile.

"Hm… what is it about you that bothers me so much?" Sasuke tapped his finger to his chin for a moment as if contemplating it deeply. His smile turned into a deep smirk of contempt.

"Everything about you bothers me. The thing that bothers me most though is that I'm stuck with you as a teammate. I can't get rid of you. You mess up on a mission and I have to clean up the mess. You are too stupid to understand something in training and you drag both Sakura and I down even further than you already do. Worst of all is that you are so arrogant that you actually believe that you are on par with me. Kakashi won't even let us fight because he knows I hurt your poor little feelings when I beat you." Sasuke growled.

At this point Sasuke noted that Naruto's entire body had stiffened, his face hard as stone, hands quivering in fists. It caused Sasuke to smile.

"Hehehe." Sasuke held his stomach lightly as he laughed harshly while Naruto just stared at him uncertainly.

"Hehe. Come to think of it," Sasuke said softly, "We were interrupted last time." Sasuke stepped forward. Naruto took several steps back.

Sasuke smirked as he saw understanding in his teammate's eyes. Their fight on the hospital roof: Sakura screaming, fists flying, both bringing out their most powerful attacks in their need to show each other their strength, the realization too late that they couldn't stop their attacks and the danger they were in. Naruto took several steps back away from Sasuke and shook his head.

"That wasn't my choice. I didn't want a fight like that. Even now…" Naruto said quietly, voice strained.

Sasuke let out another harsh laugh as he moved forward and got into Naruto's face. Sasuke grabbed the front of Naruto's jacket, clenching the ridiculously stupid looking orange coat in his hands, before lifting his light teammate a few inches from the ground. Naruto's stunned eyes staring down at him as Sasuke smirked.

"Who cares what you want?" Sasuke asked harshly, one hand let go and pulled back, fist slamming into Naruto's stomach.

Naruto's body flew back from the impact and hit the ground hard. Naruto unsteadily got to his feet, eyes filled with anger and hurt, blood dripping down his lips.

"What the fuck, Sasuke? What the hell is wrong with you?" Naruto hissed through breaths.

Sasuke walked toward him as Naruto backed up.

"There's no Kakashi or Sakura to break up our fight this time. There's no one to butt in like before. You've been wanting to fight too, right?" Sasuke said as he swung a kick at Naruto. Naruto flipped backwards and away from Sasuke.

"I don't want to fight you, Sasuke. Not like this. Not out of anger. I want…" Sasuke cut off Naruto's words by throwing several kunai at him.

Naruto dodged to the left, kunai barely missing him, turning the fall into back flip. Sharingan eyes sprung to life, Sasuke rushed forward as Naruto landed and crouched on the ground, his right arm already pulling back.

"You don't have a choice in the matter." Sasuke screamed as he slammed his fist into Naruto's cheek.

Sasuke frowned as Naruto moved with the punch, flipping in midair, and landed crouched once more.

Something wasn't right.

Naruto, despite being a complete loser, moved faster than this. Naruto wasn't nearly as fluid, fast or graceful as Sasuke, not by a long shot. Sasuke moved fast with precise movements and could easily dodge attacks, in that sense he was like a snake in the same way Naruto was like a mongoose.

Naruto was unpredictable and stealthy yet possessed insanely powerful hits. The two of them complimented each other well in taijutsu styles, yet at the same time, made for fierce opponents. He sparred with Naruto enough times to know that underestimating the blonde was a bad idea. Not that he would ever tell Naruto that.

That's why he noticed something was off.

Naruto wasn't moving right.

For a split second concern clouded the anger he felt and for the first time he noticed Naruto looked off. Just as suddenly though a pulse ran through his shoulder and once more his anger and hatred won over.

Who cared if the loser wasn't up to par?

The dumb ass could never beat him at one hundred percent anyway.

"Sasuke stop this! I don't want to fight you!" Naruto shouted.

Did his voice sound hoarse? Never mind. I didn't matter. Sasuke moved in.

As Sasuke sped toward his teammate his hands rapidly moved through hand seals.

_'Fire Style: Art of the phoenix flower.' _Sasuke thought as he took in a large breath.

From his mouth several balls of fire formed and rushed toward Naruto. Leaping up into the air, high above the raging fire attack Naruto twisted his body sideways in the beginning of a flip to land on the right side of the attack, but Sasuke appeared next to him already posed for a kick. The raven-haired boy's foot slammed into Naruto's face sending the blonde hurtling towards the ground at a dangerous speed.

Through his sharingan Sasuke could see Naruto gathering chakra around his body as the blonde twisted around to land on his hands and feet in a crouched position. The ground beneath him cracked a bit under the sheer amount of chakra used to soften the land.

Some part of Sasuke paused as Naruto started coughing into his hands and hunched over as if in great agony.

The other part though, the part being influenced by the curse mark, pushed forward and took the opportunity of Naruto being down to rush forward for another attack.

Still hacking Naruto barely managed to stand and put up a defense with his forearms, left arm over right, before Sasuke was in front of him again. Sasuke jumped up into the air and swung down with his leg, landing a strong drop kick against Naruto's raised forearms, held just over his face like a shield.

Just as the hit landed Naruto's right hand shot forward to grip Sasuke's ankle tightly. Naruto, moving his right leg back to stabilize his balance, then used all his weight to swing Sasuke's body around and let go. From the upside down position Sasuke shoved both hands to the ground, using chakra to protect them from scraping and as hooks to slow his slide. The moment his feet touched the ground Sasuke shot forward again, but stopped in his tracks as his eyes scanned the training field, dozens of Naruto's surrounded him. Shadow clones. Sasuke smirked.

They came at him, but he was more fluid than all of them, better than all of them, better than Naruto. He moved between their hits and dispelled all of them easily enough. Sasuke turned, fist turning and pulling back at the same time, aimed at yet another clone. Sasuke slammed his fist into its stomach only to find blood spatter across his face from Naruto coughing up blood. It was the real one.

Startled he didn't notice Naruto grip the wrist of the fist in his gut and Naruto use his free fist to slam harshly into Sasuke's face. Due to the hand on Sasuke's wrist he wasn't able to roll with the attack and thus took the full brunt of one of Naruto's powerful punches. Sasuke's head snapped back from the impact before his body was pinned to the ground by Naruto.

"Did that wake you up?" Naruto yelled hoarsely in his face.

Sasuke tried to get up, but Naruto had both his shoulders pinned with his knees. Another punch slammed into Sasuke's cheek, he spit blood at Naruto, the red liquid landing across the younger boy's nose. Naruto gripped the front of his shirt tightly.

"What is it going to take to get you to stop treating me like I'm lower than you?" Naruto asked bluntly.

"There you go, being arrogant again, you will never be equal to me." Sasuke spat.

"Sasuke… I don't want to fight you, we're teammates. Let's just talk, alright?" Naruto pleaded.

"Talk? About what? You can never understand me because you were alone from the very beginning! You don't understand what it's like to have parents or brothers. You don't understand anything! To have those bonds ripped from you by your very own brother… you could never understand that! You were alone from the very beginning!" Sasuke screamed.

Sasuke slammed his forehead into Naruto's and rolled away when Naruto stood up holding his head in pain.

Apparently at some point during their tussle Naruto's head band had come loose and slid down around his neck. It had been Sasuke's forehead protector against Naruto's bare skull. Blood dripped down from a nasty gash into the blond's eyes. Naruto frantically wiped at his eyes, blood covering his hands and face, while Sasuke regained his standing position.

"You are nothing but a worthless loser who can never do anything right! You screw up everything for our team. Every mission we go on you always manage to mess it up one way or another. Why don't you just give up being a shinobi?" Sasuke demanded cruelly.

Naruto stilled in his movements of dashing blood from his eyes, the words apparently having an effect on him, Sasuke took the opening.

He moved in and swept Naruto's feet from under him, the blond fell forward, but moved his hands in front of him so that he landed on all four rather than his face. Instead of moving though the blonde was uncharacteristically still. For a moment Sasuke wondered if he'd gone too far in his insults. Pain shot through the curse seal again though and washed away his soft thoughts.

Sasuke continued, "You will never amount to anything! Not Hokage, not Anbu or jounin, you'll always just be a pathetic genin. You know why? Because no one would ever want someone like you to be Hokage! No one would ever trust you with such a difficult job: a weak, unbearably stupid, no talent idiot who only has dumb luck going for him."

Naruto still hadn't moved and this time the sight caused him to smirk. Naruto's stillness didn't last long though because Sasuke was right there in an instant and slammed his foot right into Naruto's chest.

A scream of pure agony ripped from Naruto's throat as the blond landed hard on the ground clutching the area over his heart. Naruto's body jerked sharply as if a shot of electricity touched him, tears unwillingly slipping from the corner of his eyes, hands shaking horribly. Naruto carefully got to his feet, bangs shadowing his eyes, right hand still clenching the front of his shirt.

"Does it make you feel better, Sasuke? Does punching me make you feel better than me, stronger than me? Does hitting me and insulting your worthless teammate take the pain of losing your family away?" Naruto whispered hoarsely.

Sasuke felt his anger boil over.

"How dare you talk about my family as if you know anything! You're nothing but a worthless orphan. You don't know anything about losing something important to you because you've never had anything important!" Sasuke yelled as he ran forward twisted his body into a full round kick.

Naruto hit the ground… and got up again.

This time Naruto whispered, but Sasuke heard perfectly all the same.

"I bet… I bet they're really proud of you Sasuke. Sasuke, the last of the great Uchiha clan, beating up a no-name orphan because he's having a tantrum." Naruto spat out a clump of blood with his words.

Still his eyes stayed hidden behind his long blonde bangs. Sasuke moved forward, anger consuming him beyond all reason, pounding his fists into Naruto as hard as he could. It didn't matter where his hits landed as long as they did. Naruto had crossed the line.

He never noticed that Naruto wasn't fighting back.

When Sasuke finally fell to the ground in exhaustion his mind seemed to be finally clearing. He idly noticed that the marks that he hadn't known had even appeared was moving back into the curse seal. The pain in his shoulder slowly started to recede until it was no longer there at all. Sasuke sighed in relief.

'_Why didn't it paralyze me like all the other times?' _Sasuke thought in confusion.

He felt so… calm.

He hadn't felt calm in weeks. His anger and jealously had been overwhelming him till he was a bundle of nerves and tension. Suddenly it was all just… gone.

It was then that he noticed how bloody his knuckled were.

It was then he heard the sound of coughing.

That's right. He'd been fighting Naruto. It was Naruto who he'd been so unbelievably angry with all this time. Sasuke looked up and towards the area where the coughing sound was coming from and saw Naruto. Not just saw Naruto, but really took a look at Naruto for the first time in weeks.

Sasuke felt shame flood him at the sight of his teammate. Naruto's face was bloody, already a large dark bruise was forming on his right cheek and the side of his left eye, his jacket was pulled so far right he could see the blondes shoulder and the darkening skin. Sasuke gasped for air as he saw further.

For several weeks he'd been so filled with rage that he blocked out everything outside that anger. Now when he looked at Naruto he saw how his clothes were hanging off of him, looser than before, even though Sasuke knew that Naruto had been out growing them several weeks ago.

The weight loss scared Sasuke.

There were rings too, deep sleepless rings around Naruto's eyes, and pale skin. Naruto had always been tanner than anyone he knew. And his eyes. They were dull even while tears poured from them.

"Naruto…" Sasuke whispered. Naruto's hoarse voice interrupted him.

"I… I'm sorry that… I'm not the teammate you wanted. I'm sorry I'm not a genius or talented in any way. I'm sorry I always screw up our missions. I…" Naruto choked and coughed harshly, "I know I'm not a good ninja, but…" Naruto stumbled as he tried to get up and spit out more blood. "…but I don't need you telling me how worthless I am when I'm already well aware of it." Naruto said as he finally stood up.

Sasuke stared, absolutely stunned by Naruto's words.

"Naruto…" Sasuke again tried to apologize.

"Shut up. I'm done. I'm tired. I've had the worst godforsaken couple weeks of my life. Just… screw you. There, I said it, screw you. Screw you, screw Kakashi, screw Sakura. I don't care anymore." Naruto screamed, his voice cracking.

Naruto turned and limped away.

"Wait Naruto!" Sasuke screamed, but Naruto started running, despite his limp and was soon out of sight.

Sasuke fell to his knees, gripping his shoulder tightly as the curse mark pulsed again, a tiny part of the anger from before return but Sasuke squashed it mercilessly. Sasuke wouldn't let it consume him again. He needed to talk to the Hokage, he refused to let this thing take control of him like that ever again, Sasuke felt a shiver run through him as he thought of Naruto.

Guilt reered it's head like an ugly beast.

* * *

Naruto ran as fast and as far as he could from Sasuke, ignoring the pain that racked his body as he did so, ignoring Sasuke's voice calling out to him. Finally, several blocks from his apartment in one of the side alleys, Naruto stumbled and scraped his knees against the ground. As they sluggishly bled, Naruto gingerly pushed himself up and against the side wall, bringing his legs up to his chest. Naruto wrapped his arms around his knees and sobbed.

He couldn't take it anymore.

"_Never mind. I know exactly what's wrong with you! You're selfish and arrogant and always try to be the center of attention… You're nothing like Sasuke and will never be as good as Sasuke." _

"_You are nothing but a worthless loser who can never do anything right! You screw up everything for our team. Every mission we go on you always manage to mess it up one way or another. Why don't you just give up being a shinobi? You will never amount to anything! Not Hokage, not Anbu or jounin, you'll always just be a pathetic genin. You know why? Because no one would ever want someone like you to be Hokage! No one would ever trust you with such a difficult job: a weak, unbearably stupid, no talent idiot who only has dumb luck going for him." _

He could feel Kyuubi's chakra working its way through his system already, healing the damage as if it were never there, all except where Sasuke kicked him in the chest. Sasuke had hit directly over his heart where his inner bijuu chakra couldn't touch. The pain was intense and he stayed as still as possible, tears still streaming down his face. Silently he forced more of the red chakra through his system. If Shizune noticed anything when he came to the apartment he could blame it on a tussle. There wouldn't be enough damage left for her to assume anything else.

He couldn't take any of it anymore.

If they didn't want anything to do with him that was fine. The moment everything was healed he'd go to Tsunade and ask to be removed from the team. He would do D-rank solo's until the chuunin exam, sign up with Sasuke and Sakura, and then never see them again the moment they were promoted.

It wasn't like it was a surprise. Sasuke and Sakura had never liked him from the start.

At one point during the Chuunin exams he'd stupidly thought they could be friends, but he wouldn't make that mistake again. He would be just fine doing solo missions. After all he wasn't completely alone. He had Iruka, Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon, Shizune and Tsunade… and Jiraiya when the old man was around. He would do just fine.

He didn't need Guruko to talk to, he didn't need a dog's company, the dog would go back to Kakashi and everything would be fine. He would take missions and train and water his plants just like he did before the stupid mutt got involved.

He wouldn't miss Guruko... or Sasuke or Sakura or Kakashi.

So what if he'd liked the few rare times that the three of them hung out like at the picnic. So what if he'd asked shamelessly every day if they'd like to hang out again. So what if he enjoyed hearing Kakashi's lectures and war stories. So what if he silently was hurt that no one on his team said happy birthday to him. So what if they constantly insulted him and treated him like dirt.

He didn't care.

So what if they were the first and only people his own age that he'd ever come close to calling friends. He'd been expecting this for a long time now.

He knew that Sasuke and Sakura could do ten times better with pretty much anyone as a teammate. He knew that they would soon grow tired of him constantly messing up. He knew that they would abandon him and he was perfectly fine with that knowledge, with that understanding, so it didn't hurt. It didn't hurt at all.

Damn his stupid heart, it was acting up again, that was all. The feeling that someone had ripped it out and stomped on it wasn't due to his teammates, it was due to the damage.

At least that's what he told himself as he stayed there sobbing for several hours.

* * *

It was Friday afternoon and Jiraiya the toad Sage cackled happily as he flipped through the pictures of half naked women he'd managed to take from his latest 'research' trip. His nose bled at the plump breast that was only 'just' contained by the young woman's towel.

Yes, it had been very successful indeed.

He just needed to drop off his more serious information to Tsunade and then he'd take a long, hot relaxing soak in the wonderful hot springs of Konoha. He was a week and a half late so he imagined Tsunade would be pissed at him. An unpleasant thought but it wouldn't be the first time though.

He also needed to talk to Naruto. He would be telling the boy about the two year trip he planned with the boy to train him up in order to face Akatsuki. He planned to leave in a few weeks. Jiraiya's mind was already picking out the best training spots that he knew of in the elemental nations to bring Naruto to.

"Speak of the devil," Jeriaya muttered with a grin as he spotted the orange coat that belonged to his student.

Naruto's back was to him, walking in the same direction toward the Hokage tower, with one of Kakashi's dogs beside him. Trying to seem as cool and casual to his godson as he could Jiraiya quickened his pace and looked straight ahead when he reached Naruto's side.

"So, long time no see, huh squirt?" Jeriaya asked teasingly.

Naruto stopped and turned to him causing the man to choke on the air he was breathing.

'_Holy shit'_ Jeriaya thought in shock as he looked over his student.

Naruto was trying to smile, but it turned into more of a grimace. Naruto was already such a little thing that the weight loss was like a slap in the face. If he had to take a guess, he would say the boy lost a good ten pounds off his frame since the last time he had seen him. The boy was pale and it looked as if he hadn't slept in a while with how dark the rings under his eyes were.

"Hey you old perv… how's it going?" Naruto asked, avoiding eye contact with him.

"Fine…so… why's Kakashi's dog with you?" Jiraiya asked, avoiding the questions he wanted to ask.

Naruto looked down at Guruko then up at Jiraiya with a strained smile.

"I'm watching him for Kaka-sensei this month. He should be back in a week or so. We just got back from a visit with Rouchi Yamanaka to pick up some seeds." Naruto told him.

For a split second Naruto appeared to be staring at Guruko with what the old man thought was regret, but it quickly disappeared, Jeriaya dismissed it as a trick of the light.

"_It was painfully boring. We were there forever while Naruto was picking out what seeds he wanted. If you ask me Naruto has already got too many of those silly green things." _Guruko whined.

Jiraiya nodded, his eyes still focused on his ill looking student, deciding that he would be discussing more with Tsunade than just the information he brought. Jiraiya hummed, absently noting the slightly sunken look of Naruto's face, not to mention the bandages he could see peeking out slightly under the boy's headband.

"So why are you going to Tsunade's office?" Jiraiya asked casually, hoping Naruto would slip up somewhere and give him a hint as to what was going on.

The man would never openly search for information, he knew from years of experience, the best way to get info was to gather it from a wide birth of people and never from the source itself. Naruto gave him a sideways glance as he started walking again before frowning at him a bit.

"That's between me and Tsunade," Naruto told him bluntly.

'_Ouch,' _Jiraiya thought, _'Touchy.' _

"Well, I need to talk to Tsunade too… and you as well. Feel like hanging around afterwards so we can talk?" Jiraiya asked. Naruto shrugged. " 'Fraid I need a yes or no kiddo." Jiraiya said pointedly. Naruto sighed.

"Sure," Naruto finally replied as they entered through the double doors of the tower. "And since I was obviously first I'll go in first." Naruto finished cheekily as he ran in front of the man.

Jiraiya grinned in relief, at least some of his Naruto was still there, even if worn out. Naruto said something to the dog who huffed in reply, but nodded, and sat outside the door. Jiraiya moved more slowly than his blond student and opted to sit on one of the cushiony chairs outside Tsunade's door.

"So you're one of Kakashi's dogs, hm?" Jeriaya asked conversationally.

"_Yes." _Guruko answered with a huff as he laid down.

"So mind telling me why Naruto looks so thin? I certainly didn't leave him like that." Jiraiya asked.

"_Kid's been sick with the flu for the last couple weeks." _Guruko answered with a yawn.

"Flu?" Jiraiya asked, _'What kind of flu lasts weeks?' _Jiraiya thought.

"_Yeah, Shizune treated him and has been making Naruto dinner the past week." _The dog answered.

Jiraiya leaned back in his chair, his old bones sagging against the pillows, before letting out a breath of air.

Something was up.

* * *

"You want to do what?" Tsunade asked quietly.

She briefly pondered that her hearing must be going in her old age because surely Naruto wasn't asking for what she thought he was asking for. She scanned over Naruto's body, noting that Shizune had not been exaggerating about the degree to which Naruto had been sick, her eyes hovered over the area where Naruto's heart was located. The boy had obviously been under a great deal of stress lately, there was no doubt about that, but to ask for this?

"I want to transfer out of team 7 and do solo work. I'll even go to the next Chuunin exam with them, but I think it would be better for everyone if I worked somewhere else for now." Naruto said calmly, though she noted his voice was hoarse.

Tsunade stared wide eyed at him. Naruto. The person who, with Jeriaya, tracked her down with the sole intent of healing his teammates Kakashi and Sasuke. The person who, if what her chuunin told her was correct, fought to chakra exhaustion against the Sand's Jinchuuriki to protect Sasuke and Sakura. The person who was filled with so much praise for Kakashi and Sakura. _This_ Naruto was asking her to be transferred out of his team? Tsunade tapped the table in thought.

"Why this sudden change of … heart?" Tsunade asked, grimacing at her unfortunate use of words. Naruto didn't even blink.

Naruto's hands were behind his back, but being the medical kunoichi she was, she could tell by the tightness of his shoulders that he had his hands clasped together tightly, a show of extreme tension. The young teen's eyes were shadowy, an edge of ice she hadn't seen before there, the blue flashing between deep dark ocean blue and extreme light icy blue before her very eyes.

"It's not a change of heart, it's not like I suddenly don't care about them, it's just… a change in circumstances. I think it would be better if I took solo missions because of… Konoha's economic situation. You need more of your Chuunin and Jounin on missions right? Jiji taught me a lot about filling out paperwork in the office so I think I would be of better use filing mission reports and such while the more advanced shinobi take higher missions. Plus with my shadow clone jutsu you wouldn't need to keep so many higher class shinobi working in the office." Naruto explained carefully.

After all, he had been planning his negotiation for the transfer for a while, even if it was faster than he expected.

Tsunade leaned back in her seat, silently stunned by Naruto's brilliant idea. Her mind was going through the implications. She would have to test Naruto's office skills of course but she doubted Naruto was lying about Sarutobi teaching him. After all, the reports said they were close before the old man died. With the shadow clones Tsunade would be able to have fifteen extra Chuunin and two more jounin doing missions! She might even be able to push some of her work into Naruto's hands after awhile.

Not to mention it was the perfect way to prepare the brat for her position. It would also help Naruto in that he could relax his body while his heart recovered from the surgery she and Shizune had been planning. It was turning out to be the best solution all around. Still… it bothered her that Naruto would want a transfer so bad. There was one other thing…

"In order to receive a transfer you need to gain the permission of your team leader, Kakashi Hatake, who is to arrive in a week or so." Tsunade began, watching as Naruto's face fell.

"Furthermore, I will have to test out your skills in this office for the next week or so before I can give MY permission." Tsunade continued warmly.

_'And this way I can get you to eat a big lunch while Shizune handles dinner. He really is way too thin.' _Tsunade thought with a grimace.

Naruto broke out in a huge grin.

"Thank you Obaa-chan!" Naruto told her sincerely.

Tsunade shook her head at him before shooing him out.

"I'll see you on Monday at seven sharp, brat." Tsunade called back playfully.

Jiraiya walked in, eyes following Naruto as the blond left, before turning to her with a frown etched on his features. Tsunade sighed.

* * *

When Jiraiya exited the office, he offered his student a grin before motioning the boy to follow him. Naruto quietly followed without protest, Guruko yawned and stretched, pattering alongside the blonde. Jiraiya headed to the park and picked out one of his favorite spots, high up and circular with railing to keep the kiddies from tripping over the steep edge, and sat down on a bench.

Naruto crouched down toward Guruko and whispered something in the dog's ear. The dog let out a soft growl, but nonetheless, trotted away and lay down under a nearby tree. Jiraiya frowned at the scene.

"I've never heard of any of Kakashi's dogs being so… easy to command." Jiraiya commented.

Naruto sat down without a word. The kid wouldn't look at him, his stare fixated off in the distance, and just shrugged in response. Jiraiya fiddled with the hem of his coat as his mind attempted to assimilate the information he'd gathered from Tsunade and attempted to come up with a way to broach the topic tactfully… unfortunately he couldn't think of any way to do that.

"Tsunade told me about your heart… and what happened before." Jiraiya murmured, eyes carefully observing his student for a reaction.

Naruto turned himself further away from him until his orange covered back was to him.

Naruto didn't say anything in reply but there was an evident tenseness in his shoulders.

"She also told me about what your chakra was doing before Shizune saw you and that Shizune believes you know what the cause of it was." Jiraiya said a bit louder.

"I don't know what caused it. What else did you want to talk about other than what Tsunade told you?" Naruto asked.

Jiraiya frowned down at the boy.

"Do you plan on avoiding the topic the entire time?" Jiraiya asked bluntly.

"It's between me and Tsunade, and I'm dealing with it just fine so there's nothing to talk about." Naruto stated.

Jiraiya couldn't help but feel slighted that Naruto wasn't willing to talk to his own sensei about something so important. More than that though, he felt angry at himself for not noticing that his new student had been in pain.

There were other things that were bothering him as well though.

"Tsunade's worried that some of the damage in your heart may have only been noticed by Shizune last week because it wasn't caused by your heart damage all those years ago but rather it was Kabuto when he attacked the muscles around your heart." Jiraiya said quietly.

Jiraiya watched Naruto's body jerk, startled.

"She says she's thinking of coming over to your home today instead of waiting till Monday like planned." The white haired man continued.

He watched as Naruto stilled.

It was a bluff of course. Tsunade had a group of embassaders from several of the smaller countries that she'd been dealing with in trade negotiations for more than a week. It was the main reason she hadn't been more... aggressive in her watch of Naruto.

"You know what I think though… I don't think Kabuto did anything. I think it really is damage that was never fixed and I think you've been purposely hiding it all these years." Jiraiya said quietly.

"Why would you think that?" Naruto asked.

Jiraiya looked at Naruto grimly.

"When I trained you for the Finals and when we were traveling together in search of Tsunade there was something you kept doing that I dismissed as unimportant. I thought it was just a strange habit because you never showed any indication that you were in pain. Now I'm regretting it. Naruto, you kept gripping your jacket tightly over the spot where your heart is. I understand that you were afraid of the hospital but that's still no excuse for not telling anyone that your heart is hurting you. The damage could have been a lot worse than what Shizune found and you could be dead because you didn't want to say anything." Jiraiya said, his voice laced with cold anger.

Naruto merely shrugged at the man.

"What would have complaining done? Shizune told me that she and Tsunade were going to pay for the operation, but what would I have done before hand? I can't afford going to the hospital… I definitely can't afford an operation. What would have been the point in whining about something that you can't fix? It's not like anyone before Shizune ever offered to help me with anything." Naruto asked.

"Besides that… I honestly didn't know that my heart was the problem." Naruto admitted.

The blonde pulled his legs onto the bench and against his chest while Jiraiya just stared at Naruto's back.

"So what? You just ignored it when you were in pain or sick?" Jiraiya asked incredulously.

Naruto shrugged indifferently.

"And what do you mean no one ever offered you help? What about me and Kakashi?" Jiraiya shouted indignantly.

At this Naruto laughed long and hard. It took several minutes for the small shinobi to calm down enough to talk again.

"Kaka-sensei never even wanted me as a student. I overheard the council talking once about how I was put on Kakashi's team 'cause I was a Jinchuuriki. They wanted to keep their little monster safe in case a war ever got started between us and another hidden village. And, if you remember correctly, I had to force you to teach me anything when we first met. Besides that fact don't you remember the deal we had? I'm the student and you're the teacher. Nothing more and nothing less. You're not supposed to offer me help… I'm suppose to figure it all out for myself." Naruto pointed out softly.

Jiraiya's features darkened.

Naruto stood up from the bench and shoved his hands in his pockets. Still keeping his back turned to the Sannin.

"So what is it you wanted to talk to me about, old perv? Besides the medical stuff." Naruto asked.

The sannin noted with a grimace how Naruto spoke so casually about the council's opinion of him. It was... an uncomfortably blunt indication of normalcy. Jiraiya looked good and hard at his pupil as he tried to figure out how long the blond had kept such thoughts as truths.

"Just because the council placed you on Kakashi's team to protect you doesn't mean Kakashi didn't want you Naruto." Jeraiya insisted quietly.

Naruto shrugged with obvious disbelief.

"And besides that, I took you on as my full fledged student because I wanted you as my student." Jiraiya slipped in casually.

Naruto's entire frame froze before the blonde turned toward him with a questioning gaze, a small tiny spark of light erupting in the icy blue.

Jeriaya grinned cheekily.

"That's right, brat! As of today you are officially my apprentice!" The white haired man declared. Naruto stared at him.

"Really? You really mean it?" Naruto asked, utterly stunned.

"Come on brat! When have I ever lied?" Jiraiya asked cheekily. Naruto sweat dropped.

"You want a list?"

"H- hey! I resent that!"

"Yeah, yeah. And I resent two out of the three Sannin stealing my money AND flicking me on the forehead… get over it!"

* * *

Guruko had a headache. A small incessant tinge at the back of his head that had been steadily growing since Thursday. He would bet money on those stupid flowers at the Yamanaka compound was the cause of it. The horrible, over smelly, flowers had been in full bloom despite the approaching frost of mid November and it had been horrible. As far as he could remember anyway. For some reason the meeting with the twitchy eyed Yamanaka seemed hazy. His instincts were telling him that something was drastically wrong, but what that something was he had not the faintest idea.

And then there was Naruto.

For the past three weeks Naruto had lived up to everything he'd told Kakashi the idiot would be. Loud and obnoxious with a habit of tripping over his own feet, it hadn't surprised him the least. Despite the blondes motherly care over his sea of plant life in the apartment there was nothing interesting about the blonde in the least. Until Thursday. When they'd exited the compound of the Yamanaka's the blonde seemed strangely different from the past three weeks. Naruto grinned down at him and talked his ear off about how he planned to blow everyone away during the next Chuunin Exam that team 7 was going to enter.

It was normal behavior but… it seemed wrong.

Naruto was nervous about something, the dog immediately picked up that emotion, but it still didn't tell him what the genin was nervous about. Guruko also noticed with worry that Naruto's entire body moved yet with such tenseness he seemed ready to spring into action at any moment. The Naruto that he knew from the past three weeks hadn't shown any of that. That's about when he started to get the headache.

Alarm bells were going off. Instincts howling.

The dog sniffed the air and strained his ears as he searched for an enemy but couldn't find one. Never before had he been faced with not knowing why he felt as if something was immensely wrong. Normally this intense feeling came just before a battle. They were in the middle of Konoha though with not an enemy in sight or smell.

Just in case he stood on alert.

Two days later in the early afternoon of Saturday the dog was not so alert. When Naruto left the house that afternoon claiming he had something he needed to do Guruko had tried to go with him. He wasn't sure why he felt such a strong desire to stay with the blonde but for some reason he knew it was important. Naruto just grinned and wrinkled his nose at the dog pointing to his bed.

"You've got a headache right? Go lie down." Naruto told the dog sternly.

Guruko had been indignant, with good reason, telling _him _to go lie down as if he was _some pet_! Guruko had shot his head up to show his indignation only to whine and put his head back down when his headache reminded him of its presence. Naruto gave him a sympathetic look and gently rubbed his head for a brief moment briefly alleviating the pressure. Guruko's ears moved down as he craned into the touch. The next thing he knew Naruto turned away from him and disappeared out the door.

Guruko sighed and reluctantly did as he was told. Guruko nosed the blanket and snuggled underneath it, his body grateful for the warmth, mind thankful for the darkness. Kakashi would be back in about a week if there was no complications in the mission. Naruto was a nice person and he may have been far more quiet the last couple days but that didn't make up for the last three weeks. Guruko grimaced. Another spike of pain.

He wished he knew why it wouldn't go away.

* * *

A/N

Windschild8178: Okay… before anyone jumps down my throat about Naruto sobbing in an alley…. Naruto doesn't cry a lot and I think he deserved that little break down. I swear Naruto is not a pansy! I don't like pansy Naruto. But seriously? He NEEDED it. Nough said.

And did no one else ever notice that both Jeraiya and Tsunade have flicked Naruto on the forehead and stole his money? Jeraiya sent him over a cliff with a flick to the forehead and Tsunade in their tussle. Jeraiya stole Naruto's money at the very first town and then when Naruto finally got the money back through his accidental gambling thing he lost it to Tsuande who stole off him while fighting. I think its funny but my sense of humor is often lacking in areas that other people think of as funny so… Please do not mock me for my attempts at humor. KINDLY point out that it wasn't very funny and I will limit my humor so as not to embarrass myself. Thank you.


	14. Ino's brilliant prank

______

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

All of you have probably noticed that the further the story progresses the less Guruko's personal perspective is seen. This is purposely done not because I'm losing the plot or my original idea but to show the widening scope of those who are beginning to see what's going on with Naruto. Guruko and Naruto are the main characters but I like the feel of how I'm doing this. Don't worry. After everything settles a little the plot will go back to a lot of Gur/Naruto stuff. My point in using Guruko was to gain an objective view from someone outside the normal cast who…

1) Could not do much to aide Naruto's plight

2) Was not an actually Oc but rather a never used before character of Kishimoto's creation.

3) An animal because I love cats and dogs and desperately wish Naruto had a pet. ^-^

P.S

Huge fan of Bared Naked but seriously kills me that three shinobi are turned into cats in the least plausible and believable way possible. Love it just wish it was more… 'I can actually see that happening in the Naruto world.' You know?

Chapter 14: Ino's brilliant prank

Shikamaru Nara rubbed his forehead much in the same manner as a certain Chuunin instructor back in his academy days. Seven days. They had been trying to find and talk to Naruto for seven long days. The genius had come to a very rational and well thought out conclusion; everyone was conspiring against them.

It was the only plausible explanation for how'd they'd missed the small genin at every turn.

They'd gone to the training grounds where team 7 met early Tuesday only to find that the blonde never showed up and left a furious Sakura. They decided to wait till later after training before going to the ramen stand where Naruto was known to frequent. After that came up empty they'd been forced to ask around for an address to where Naruto lives. When their search came up unsuccessful they gave up for the night.

Wednesday they finally caught someone who not only knew where Naruto lived, but also knew that Naruto would be at the academy the next day for a shinobi life lecture, Konohamaru. So they arrived at the academy on Thursday… but Naruto never showed up. It was almost funny to see Konohamaru spout a fit nearly as bad as Sakura's. It worried them though that Naruto hadn't showed up when he promised he would. Naruto didn't break promises without a really good reason.

Friday they'd gone to his apartment only to find he wasn't home and then to the missions desk to discover he'd just finished a meeting with Tsunade. They then ran into Jeraiya who said he'd just talked to Naruto not but thirty minutes before hand and that the blonde was on his way home. They'd rushed off toward their friends home only to find Naruto had not gone home.

It was at this point that the Nara was considering the idea that perhaps Naruto somehow knew they wanted to talk to him and had been purposely avoiding them all week. Chouji slumped onto the bench in front of the shady store they'd stopped in front of after they'd checked Naruto's apartment again. After which the duo preceded to turn in the wrong direction and got lost.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru muttered as he peered up at the darkening sky.

It was late Sunday and his mother would be expecting him home soon. Shikamaru sighed loudly and was about to sit down when someone bumped into him.

Shikamaru stumbled back in surprise. A hand shot out and steadied him even as Chouji was standing. Shikamaru followed the arm to find a young boy, younger than himself at least, dressed in black pants and a long sleeved black shirt. A black bandana hid his hair, if he had any, and black bandages covered him beneath his eyes to just above his chin.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm late for work!" The boy said as he made to hurry on his way.

Shikamaru saw only the briefest flash of blue before the boy turned from him. Suddenly the boy stilled with a foot still in the air as if Shikamaru stopped him with one of his shadow jutsu. The boy lowered his foot to the ground and turned slightly, peering at him and Chouji as if they were circus attractions, before he came full circle.

"What?" Chouji asked as the big teen looked down at himself.

"What are clan brats doing in this neighborhood? Got lost?" The boy asked, Shikamaru noted with curiosity that there was no animosity when he asked, merely a tinge of confusion.

Chouji sputtered indignantly.

"Sort of," Shikamaru admitted with a sigh, "we were looking for a friend and lost our way."

The boy nodded his head in thought.

"Maybe if you tell me who your looking for I can help you out." The boy said.

"We're looking for Naruto Uzumaki, have you heard of him?" Shikamaru asked.

The boy stared at him, longer than was comfortable, before slowly nodding.

"He lives in the Lamplighters apartment complex." The boy answered hesitantly.

"We know that. He's not there. Do you know where he might be?" Shikamaru asked.

"No idea. He should be in the Hokage's tower all day tomorrow though, said something about filing." The boy said with a shrug.

The boy turned and began walking away.

"Wait!" Shikamaru called out.

The boy stilled in surprise.

"What?" There was an unrecognizable edge to the boy's voice.

"How do we get to the main market place from here?" Shikamaru asked.

* * *

"_So why exactly are you going to be working in the office this week?" _Guruko asked in confusion.

The dog walked beside Naruto along the side streets leading up to the Hokage tower. For some reason or another Naruto seemed to avoid the main street like the plague. Even though the main street was the easiest way to get to the Inuzuka compound Naruto had dragged them through a dozen side streets around the road to get to it instead.

When questioned about the action Naruto just shrugged and said it was 'quieter.' The loudest genin walking down side streets because they were quieter? Guruko refrained from asking the blonde to elaborate; he had this strange feeling that it would only make his headache worse.

"I'm going because Baa-chan wants to test how much filing can get done with the use of shadow clones. Your coming because you insisted on accompanying me all day long." Naruto explained calmly despite the fact that the dog had asked the same question three times that morning.

After all 'calmly' didn't necessarily mean 'patiently.'

The dog snorted as he looked up at Naruto with his eyes squinted.

"_Why have you been so quiet this weekend? Even when you had the flu you were talkative." _Guruko asked.

"I don't know. I've just been annoying you so I thought it would be better to give you a break before Kakashi gets here." Naruto replied absentmindedly.

Guruko paused as his headache spiked and an image of the blonde in front of him came to mind, but this one was of Naruto standing subconsciously in front of the Inuzuka's main doors, arms gently squeezing him as a young women answered the door. Hana.

"Hey I got a deal for you; if I totally embarrass myself or I'm doing something wrong and I don't know it pretend your having a horrible stomach ache so that we can go home, okay?"

Guruko blinked as Naruto's voice drifted to his ears, but one look at the blonde beside him told the dog that Naruto hadn't spoken. Where had that come front? Guruko continued to walk, eyes wandering over to the blonde from time to time, and attempting to put down the newly risen headache. Why had it come back? He'd finally gotten rid of it sometime Saturday morning.

A thought suddenly struck him along with a spike in pain. _'When did I start talking to Naruto?' _The dog thought long and hard as they walked and yet he couldn't come up with an answer. Not only could he not remember when he started talking to the genin, but he couldn't remember why he'd started talking.

The two made it to the tower without incident. Guruko watched Naruto knock on the door and smiled as a string of vial curses rang through the air from the newly risen Tsunade. It was early. Really early. Seven-o-clock early. Naruto smiled cheerfully.

Naruto opened the door and Guruko took the liberty of prancing in first to see the grumpy Hokage. For some reason, despite the fact that Guruko was not an early riser, he'd not been bothered by having to get up so early. Guruko looked around and was confused when he didn't see Tsunade behind her desk. The dog's eye's wandered around the room and snickered when they landed on the haggard Hokage sitting up from the couch in the corner, hair sticking out from odd angles, clothes rumpled.

"Morning Baa-chan!" Naruto called in a loud, cheerful voice.

Tsuande rubbed her eye's with her right hand while rolling and messaging her shoulders with her left.

Tsunade spoke in a hoarse whisper. "Brat. I've spent the last forty-eight hours performing emergency surgery on two newbie anbu brats who didn't think that an assassination target would have equally powerful guards. Lower. Your. Voice."

"Right." Naruto chirped with a salute.

Tsunade groaned as she stretched and yawned. She blinked a few times and gave her office a searching look before sweeping across the room and digging into her cabinet. The aging women pulled out a can sized bottle of sake before putting her lips to her mouth and making a shushing sound to the two. Guruko snickered. Naruto gave her an amused sigh of exasperation.

"Alright Naruto," Tsuande started as she tipped the small bottle back and took a swig, "We've got a couple of things to talk about today before you start your qualification week. You will be working directly under Shizune and will report to her at all times."

Guruko frowned as he listened, confusion marring his face.

"_Qualifications for what?" _Guruko spoke up.

Naruto fidgeted nervously and refused to look at the dog which immensely confused him. Tsunade too frowned.

"Naruto, haven't you informed your team or Guruko?" Tsunade asked.

Naruto shook his head.

"_Qualifications for what?" _Guruko repeated.

"If Naruto does well in this preliminary run for clone filing then I'll be keeping Naruto as a permanent part of the office staff. He will be removed from Kakashi's team with the exception of participating in the next Chuunin Exam. Of course this means we'll be missing Naruto for a while because of his trip with Jeriaya in a few short months, but I'd rather have all the qualification stuff done before he goes." Tsunade answered.

Guruko's head spiked again only worse this time. An image of Naruto lying on the floor of the bathroom flashed through his head and disappeared again before he could grasp it. Words whispered in his pointed ears; "I'm sorry." _"For what?"_

Guruko shook his head roughly and a whine escaped through his black rimmed lips. Why wouldn't his head stop hurting? What were the images he couldn't seem to remember?

"Guruko?" Naruto's voice came again.

Guruko laid down and whined. Was it really his voice or another vision? Hands reached out and gently messaged his head. The small fingers felt like a cool rush of water to his aching skull. The arms picked him up and held him to somebody's chest.

"I'm sorry," Naruto whispered into his ears, "just don't try to remember."

He knew. Guruko knew that was Naruto's real voice. Guruko whined as he was set down on a couch. He was only minimally aware that it was outside of the office that he was placed.

"Shhhh, just go to sleep Guruko, Kakashi will be back soon and your headaches will go away. They won't ever bother you again." Naruto told him.

Fingertips touched his forehead again and what felt like water rushed over him. The water enraptured him in a blissful and painless darkness that protected him, but for some reason he didn't want to go. Guruko fell asleep.

* * *

Naruto walked back into the office where Tsunade stood with an eyebrow quirked. Naruto shrugged nonchalantly before explaining.

"He's been having nasty headaches lately. Hana said they were caused by the operation needed for his leg and that they'll go away soon." The blonde easily lied as he sat back in one of the guest chairs.

Tsunade nodded her head in understanding. There were a number of medications used on animals that had such side effects after an operation.

"Shizune will fill you in on everything else when she gets here, but for now I would like to take a diagnosis for your heart." Tsunade gently prodded. "And I need you to remove your jacket and shirt. In depth diagnosis require skin contact with the area of concern."

Naruto fiddled with the hem of his jacket as he let the words sink in. It was Tsunade, the women he saw as a big sister or even as a motherly figure, but it was still an immensely uncomfortable thought. The only time he'd been in any state of undress in the presence of a female was…

Hesitantly he unzipped and shrugged out of his jacket before more carefully pulling his shirt over his head. Naruto looked away as the developing blush on his cheeks darkened. He didn't want to see her face when she looked at him because even if she wasn't Syne he knew that he would probably freak out. Naruto took a deep breath to steady his nerves as he stared down at the tiled floor.

It was a completely different situation but the familiar rise of shame and helplessness came over him and he had to struggle to not let those emotions show on his face. He heard Tsunade's throat hitch as she took in his body and unintentionally flinched.

_'What is she thinking?'_ Naruto wondered worriedly.

His fingers tugged at the edge of the jacket laying on his lap and Naruto was forced to still them when warm fingers touched his stomach. Naruto felt the urge to spring back or push her away, but with hard won control managed to beat back the feeling. Tsunade's fingers traced his ribs, touching each one as if she were counting them, before finally resting on the area over his heart.

A sudden warmth spread across his chest and Naruto guessed that she'd begun the diagnosis jutsu. The older and younger blonde stayed in that position for nearly fifteen minutes before the green chakra died down and disappeared. Tsunade let out a shaky breath as she removed her hands from Naruto's chest.

"You can put your shirt back on Naruto." Tsunade informed him.

Naruto nodded without looking at her and quickly slipped his shirt back on. With his chest covered Naruto finally found he could look in Tsunade's direction. The woman's face was stony and she appeared to be in deep thought. The silence that filled the room caused Naruto to fidget, his foot pressing down and heel lifting, hand unconsciously moving up to rub the back of his neck. Tsunade bit her lip and sighed heavily.

"Naruto, did anything happen about two or three years ago?" Tsunade asked.

Naruto jerked in surprise. His foot stopped moving. His hand fell to his side. Blue eyes simply widened before narrowing before his body stiffened.

"No… nothing happened. Where did that come from? How could something that happened years ago be effecting my heart now?" Naruto asked, a touch of anger in his voice.

Tsunade bit the tip of her thumb as she looked through her wide open windows. A cool breeze battered the glass pains on either side so that a rhythmic thumping noise reverberated through the office.

"The diagnosis of your heart told me that the damage after your operation was nearly nonexistent. In the interrogation with Ibiki it was found that the doctor assumed that you wouldn't have been able to survive the horrible experience and would have died during surgery. Apparently the doctor back then thought that as long as no one found anything in the autopsy that no one would blame him. He obviously didn't expect you to survive or the Third to have one of his personal medics analyze the 'medication' given to you during the procedure." Tsunade sighed again and messaged her forehead.

"The diagnosis revealed that for some reason your heart came under a great deal of stress about two or three years ago and that it has not let up. Whatever it is I can't find it, but it's like your heart is being squeezed by an outside source. It's been slowly widening the damaged area and if we hadn't caught it now you would have been in deep trouble in a year or so. Shizune was right when she said the chamber was damaged and needs to be opened up in order to repair it with medical sealing." Tsunade explained.

To all this Naruto just nodded numbly. Doctor tried to kill him. Gotcha. Syne was accidentally killing him with the torture seal she'd placed over his heart. Right. Tsunade wanted to strap him down to a table and open up his heart again… Still adjusting to information.

"I would like to get the operation underway this Saturday if possible. The sooner we take care of it the better. And that means no training until then. While the damage isn't particular dangerous at the moment any kind of antagonizing against it could cause the damage to widen. It's a miracle that Kabuto's attack didn't kill you, but thankfully he merely cut the chakra flow to your heart rather than attacked the actually organ. It will take a while for your heart to recover afterwards, even for you, I would expect a few weeks of bed rest." Tsunade explained softly.

Tsunade wanted him to have an operation on his heart in five days…

The small genin stood up abruptly, slammed out of the office, pushed his way into the closest bathroom to promptly empty his stomach.

'_Fuck me…'_

* * *

Shizune kept a close eye on the green faced genin while instructing him on the finer arts of where everything was and what needed to be done first. Naruto would shake his head in understanding or ask a question for clarification once in a while.

By time nine o clock rolled around there were ten clones sitting studiously on any handy space, pens filling out papers, and eyes scanning dreary propositions and reports.

Shizune was quick to find that Naruto rarely made a mistake. She'd patiently gone through any errors with him of which he would give a sheepish apology before correcting them. Apparently the Sadaime had used his paperwork as a means to teach Naruto how to read and write rather than children's books or blank paper. The Third would have Naruto copy anything the man was working on and then have Naruto read it to him and question him about what he read. Due to these circumstances Naruto knew much more about the politics and workings of Konoha than most Chuunin.

Shizune was ecstatic when twelve o clock came around and nearly a weeks worth of paperwork sat finished with the more important documents waiting for Tsunade to look over in a separate pile.

It was around this time that Izumo came into the room with a pile of documents from the downstairs mission room. The man waved merrily to the small blonde who at first seemed surprised, but returned his wave with an enthusiastic grin. Before any of the three could say a word a loud boom came from the room below.

"I have once more tromped my energetic students in a race! Even though I am the winner I think it is more than obvious that my beloved students deserve a wonderful meal on my tab! Do you not agree?" Gai's loud and exuberant voice filled the room.

Izumo snickered while Shizune wore a look of bemusement.

Naruto just grimaced.

"We'll it appears Gai's team is back from their C-rank mission to the Land of Bears. It was just my luck that I managed to miss him in order to bring up these papers huh?" Izumo stated with a grin. "Nothing to do with seeing Anko high tailing it out of the room screaming about running for our lives." Izumo whispered the last part to Naruto, giving the kid a wink. Naruto snickered.

* * *

Following the advise of the kid from the night before Shikamaru _almost _screamed out in triumph when he and Chouji caught sight of Naruto.

Naruto was finishing up putting a stack of papers in their appropriate places in a tall, gray filing cabinet. Despite the urge to raise his voice born of hours or frustration and annoyance he managed to squash it nastily beneath a rock and walk up to the blonde quietly. It was late afternoon and they'd just gotten back from a series of D-rank missions assigned to them for the day. Shikamaru tapped the blonde on the shoulder who hurriedly stood up and smiled.

"Hey Shikamaru, Chouji, what's up?" Naruto asked cheerily.

Shikamaru tilted his head. Why did it almost seem like Naruto had been expecting them?

Shikamaru felt Chouji stiffen beside him as the big boned teen scrutinized their old classmate. Shikamaru wondered what it was that Chouji was seeing that he couldn't. He saw the dark rings under the boy's eyes but with his large orange jacket it was difficult to tell that the blonde had lost weight.

Chouji was far better trained than he was to see health problems and discerning a person's size through clothing. It was kinda scary seeing his blonde friend looking so sick and casual at the same time. Like he was used to it. It was with a nauseous realization that he probably was. How could he not have noticed in the academy? Chouji moved in first, concern shining in his eyes.

"Hey Naruto." Chouji greeted, offering the blonde some of his chips.

"No thanks Chouji, I'm good." Naruto replied.

"We wanted to talk to you." Shikamaru said, cutting strait to the point.

"Oh… well I'm afraid your gonna have to hurry cause I've only got about a minute or so of chakra left." Naruto said sheepishly.

"Huh?" Chouji asked in confusion. Shikamaru scowled angrily.

"You're a clone!" Shikamaru demanded in frustration.

"Yeah, I'm already on my way home with Guruko and Shizune-san. Boss just got me to stay to finish up this little bit." The Naruto clone explained.

"Can you give Naruto a message for us?" Chouji asked.

Shikamaru was about to tell Chouji that the clone was about to disappear and couldn't do such a thing because clones can't communicate with it's creator when the clone interrupted him.

"Sure, what is it?" The clone asked.

Shikamaru sighed in exasperation. Apparently Naruto, a famed clone user, didn't even know that simple fact. It was just like the dead last of the academy to forget a rule of his own style.

"We need to talk to Naruto. Can you tell him to meet us at the old park we use to play at around five tomorrow?" Chouji asked. The clone visibly frowned, but nodded.

"Alright." The clone said.

"The clone doesn't have time to give the message to Naruto, Chouji. Clones can't communicate with their creator." Shikamaru butted in.

The clone frowned again.

"Boss always remembers what…" The clone's body dissipated into smoke.

"This is far beyond troublesome." Shikamaru muttered despairingly.

Chouji laughed.

* * *

Ino Yamanaka giggled quietly to herself as she made her way done the main street market of Konoha's shopping district Tuesday afternoon. There was a slight swagger in her walk and a perk in her step. What she had planned had been long coming; a prank on the prank master of the rookie twelve.

Let it be known far and wide what a great sense of humor she has! She was NOT high strung and she COULD take a joke unlike what Shikamaru and Chouji said. She was fun and unpredictable and would not bore any boyfriend she had like Shikamaru had claimed. And she was NOT simply pulling this prank because of their comments… their remarks didn't bother her one bit.

…

Maybe a little.

She had considered for a time pranking Shikamaru or Chouji, maybe even Asuma or one of her parents, but the idea of pranking Naruto had gotten stuck in her head a while ago and just wouldn't let its claws go.

Naruto had pranked her once. It had been when they'd been in the last year of their academy and the humiliation had been unbearable. She and Sakura had, had a fight during their lunch break in front of the whole class, and Naruto apparently hadn't approved.

Ino had commented (screamed) that pink hair was the stupidest color anyone could have and that she would never be caught dead with such a grotesque color on her head. She'd felt guilty about it afterwards because Sakura had teared up a bit and stomped away after the remark (scream) that somehow the whole class heard and laughed about.

She didn't have the slightest clue about how he did it, but somehow Naruto snuck pink hair dye into her shampoo, ironically the same shade as Sakura's. She'd been forced to go to school with the mess of pink hair by her father, adding salt to her wounded pride by snickering the entire time.

The other students had laughed all day long after she arrived to class, Sakura especially. She knew it was Naruto because the other blonde placed a letter in her mail box that very night that her father gave her explaining a simple and effective way to rinse the dye out. Add baking soda to her regular (undyed) shampoo. He'd even apologized, but mentioned he thought she deserved it. Since she herself thought she deserved it she never bothered to yell at him for the act.

Now though she found the other blonde to be the perfect target. Naruto had a great sense of humor so she knew he wouldn't get mad at her. He himself had pulled a prank on her before. He was friends with Shikamaru and Chouji so the prank would definitely be heard by them without her having to brag about it. Best of all though was that he was Sakura and Sasuke's teammate.

Sakura would never in a million years pull a prank on anyone; she was just too much the goody too shoes to do such a thing. Guys like a girl with a sense of humor, at least that's what the magazines told her, so the act would definitely up her chances of getting a date with Sasuke. Sasuke, as Naruto's teammate, would definitely know about the prank because teammates always know those type of things about one another.

Knowing Naruto and Sasuke were best friends/ rivals like her and Sakura the two would definitely get into an argument. Sasuke would take the opportunity to make fun of Naruto for falling for the prank and if she played her cards right she would be there to receive her rightful praise for initiating it. The plan was perfect.

She even had the whole prank planned out. She'd noticed a while ago that the first Tuesday of every month Naruto went to this one particular shop five shops on the opposite side from her own family flower shop at exactly five minutes after twelve. It was a civilian's shop that sold odds and ends, everyday supplies, and Ino didn't really know much of why Naruto went there only that he did.

It surprised Ino actually, that someone that was such a klutz and a troublemaker performed such an act as consecutively being on time. Ino leaped to the roof of the shop opposite of the General store and eagerly awaited Naruto's arrival, already going over how she planned to gloat about it all.

That's when she saw the oh so familiar head of pink hair walking down the street. Ino's smile got absolutely wicked. The platinum blonde leaped off the building, startling the poor genin out of her wits, before ushering the girl to the roof.

"Ino, what in the world is this about?" Sakura asked in a huff.

"Hush, you'll see in a few minutes." Ino said with a wink. Sakura gave her a half-hearted glare in reply.

That's when Ino spotted the sunflower dose of blonde walking slowly down the streets with a dog at his heels. The hideous abomination of orange clothing painting a neon sign around the boy. Ino smirked widely.

_'Right on time.' _She noted happily.

Sakura also noticed her teammate walking down the street, though to Ino's surprise she didn't try to gain the boy's attention, which the mindwalker had been prepared to stop, but rather looked away.

_'Did they get into a fight or something?' _Ino idly wondered before mentally shrugging.

They silently watched as Naruto peered around somewhat cautiously before entering the store. Ino raised a brow at that. The girl turned when she felt a light tugging on her shirt.

"Ino what are we doing here?" Sakura demanded.

Ino sighed in exasperation, Sakura always hated being left out of the loop in anything, the girl could be annoyingly persistent.

"We're here to prank Naruto." Ino answered shortly. "Now be quiet." She added.

"Ino… I don't think that's a good idea. Naruto hasn't… he hasn't been acting right lately. I don't think you should prank him right now." Sakura whispered. "I mean… He's been off ever since we started watching Kakashi's dog's, I think you should wait." Ino stared at Sakura incredulously.

"Do you know how long it took me to plan this out? Besides a good prank should cheer Naruto right up!" Ino said triumphantly. "Now be quiet, he'll be out in a few minutes, Naruto never stays long."

Sakura tilted her head in curiosity, wonderingly how Ino knew this and she didn't, but decided to stay silent.

The dog came out first.

Naruto followed soon after with a single brown bag in his arms and an envelope clutched in his right hand against the crinkling front. Behind him the old women who owned the store followed suit as she did every month and stood in the doorway.

Now was Ino's chance. She flipped rapidly through the seals and paused in the last one, throwing her hands forward, aiming for the old women. She whispered the words of her jutsu out quietly but clearly.

"Mind destruction jutsu!"

* * *

Naruto glanced at Guruko again as they continued walking down the street. The dog wasn't reacting to the glares that Naruto got from all around them. He hadn't reacted in days past either, that was good, it meant the extra money he'd been forced to give the greedy money sucker was worth it.

A simple mental touch that 'suggested' that any 'extra' attention Naruto received wasn't important. It was sort of like a genjutsu only stronger. It had been the second part of the memory erase so that the remaining time Guruko spent with him would be noted as mundane and boring. Naruto gave a mental sigh of relief.

Naruto had been putting Guruko to sleep each night with the deep slumber jutsu his grandfather figure had taught him before heading out to the bar the last few nights. The simple solution caused him to slap his forehead and ask himself why he hadn't done it in the first place.

Ah… the wonders of foresight. Guruko couldn't question what he didn't know about after all.

One thing that bothered him though was that the dog was complaining about headaches, which could only mean one thing, the dog's subconscious was fighting hard against the memory seal placed on him. The Yamanaka had warned him that if someone's mind was strong enough they would be able to break the memory seal, but that required the subconscious to fight fully against the conscious mind, which rarely occurred.

Naruto hadn't even considered that Guruko would be strong willed enough to fight against it so the headaches were an alarming development. The best he could hope for right now would be to get Guruko to Kakashi or at least out of his hands as soon as possible. If Guruko was separated from him then there was a chance that the subconscious fighting would fade.

At the moment though they were on their way to Naruto's next paycheck. The young genin was using his lunch hour from the office to take care of this business so he had plenty of time to drag the stuff from this trip to his apartment before his time was up. He was paid once a month for the shipping work he did each weekend, the first Tuesday of each month, just as Tora-san closed up for lunch.

It was an unfortunate coincidence that she possessed the same name as the damnable cat the wife of the fire daimyo kept with her at all time. When the thing referred to as a cat wasn't dragging genin across the city and through the forests like chickens with their heads cut off. Tora-san preferred to perform the financial business right before lunch so Naruto made sure to arrive no later than five minutes after she closes her shop to get it.

She was even nice enough to allow him to buy a bag of supplies while no other customers were in her store. The old women said she had nothing against him it was just she didn't want any of her customers turning away because he was in there. It was hard for a widowed woman of her age to run a shop by herself in the first place and if she attempted to show a defiance of the people's opinion she would starve.

Naruto understood. Not only did she run her business by herself, but she also organized the shipping job for the merchandise that made it's way into her shop as well as the surrounding shops. If anyone found out that she gave him a job AND allowed him to shop in her store despite the brief time she would lose a lot of customers. He'd seen it happen to Teichu and Ayame. It was the reason he ate in the back of the shop many a times where no one could see him with Ayame.

Naruto looked around cautiously as he approached the shop, making sure that there wasn't anyone glancing in his directly, before slipping into the shop. Naruto sighed in pleasure as the warm air of the shop hit his face. It had been getting chillier and chillier as the month wore on, pretty soon he'd need to get out his scarf and gloves.

"_What are we doing here again?" _Guruko asked in a bored tone.

Naruto absentmindedly bent his hand down and scratched behind the big dogs ears. The dog immediately leaned into the familiar touch, a deep growl of pleasure seeping through his lips, and the irritation evaporated. It was nice, Naruto would admit, to know the dog's weakness.

Guruko lazily tilted his head up towards Naruto with half lidded eyes.

_"That is evil." _The dog declared before once more leaning into the touch.

Naruto smiled. Despite the fact that Guruko now thought he was a brainless buffoon that loved the color orange they once and a while had a moment of kinship still.

"You know you love my evilness." Naruto replied as his fingers gently tugged loose a few stray hairs that had fallen into the nook of the dogs soft pink inner ear.

Naruto had noticed that the dog had continuously stopped on the way here to try and scratch the inside part of his ears, unsuccessfully, and it must have been driving him insane. Naruto then carefully scratched the spot where the hairs had been. Guruko shuddered and his fur ruffled up before relaxing.

"_Thank you." _Guruko said stiffly to which Naruto smiled with sad amusement.

The dog was attempting to be dignified. His Guruko had stopped trying to be dignified around him after he'd come home the one night from Syne's. Cuddling up next to someone all night would ruin anyone's dignity.

"Give me a minute Naruto!" Called an elderly voice from the back of the shop.

Naruto didn't bother replying. It was the unfortunately fact that unless you were directly in front of the women speaking in a raised voice she could not hear a word you said. Naruto instead started to pick through the store and see what items he really needed for the month.

Toilet paper. Soap. Tooth paste. He didn't _really _need salt so he skipped over that. Bandages. Antiseptic. Laundry detergent. He could go without sugar. Naruto's hand paused over the tea. He had enough bags for one cup each morning for the next two weeks, but if he had one cup every other morning he could stretch it to a month. Tea wasn't a necessity, after all, more like a luxury. He past it up. Light bulbs. Dish soap. Needle. Thread. Tomato Soup… He didn't really need soup, he had plenty of rice and ramen to last him a while, he put it back reluctantly.

"Have everything you need Naruto?" Asked Tora as she waddled from the back room.

Naruto nodded as he placed his chose items on the counter where the register resided. She handed him his check and he handed her the amount for the supplies. She sifted through it in the blink of an eye, amount already counted, years of experience aiding her where her hearing failed.

"Right as always my boy, taxes and all, always the thrifty shopper you are." The old women murmured to herself as she dispersed the money into their respective places in the register.

Guruko snorted from his place on the floor, head on folded front paws.

_"Naruto, a thrifty buyer? That's a surprise." _The dog said in amusement.

Naruto flinched at the insult, but put on an indignant look like he would in front of most people. "And what's that suppose to mean?" Naruto demanded loudly. Tora blinked and looked taken aback.

"It just means that I think you spend your money wisely." Replied Tora owlishly.

Naruto blushed scarlet as he realized Tora hadn't heard Guruko's fairly quiet remark.

"Sorry Tora-san, I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to one of Kakashi's dogs. He's got quite the mouth on him." Naruto replied sheepishly, his hand rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

Down below Guruko snickered in amusement. The women blinked and nodded slowly, not quite understanding, but having heard enough of Kakashi's famous dog's to know it to be true.

"Well, I would like to get to my wonderful lemon chicken, so scooch on outta here youngen!" Tora said with hands on hips. "And for goodness sake eat more! You look like a bag o bones could beat your little ass in meatless competition." She declared, poking the boy's chest.

Guruko snickered as Naruto gave them both an exasperated sigh.

The old woman followed him out the door as she always did before suddenly stiffening up directly in the doorframe.

"Naruto, wait." She cried loudly.

Several people looked their way as Naruto turned. The blonde barely caught sight of the widowed women pulling hard on a wire beside the door before something slammed into him from all sides.

Naruto freaked. He dropped his bag and his check to the ground and staggered to the side only to hit something that shoved him forward again and to the ground. Something was covering his eyes and his whole body. The small genin blindly whipped the goopy stuff from his eyes and tried to open them. A blur of colors came to his sight. He could also hear a large amount of people laughing. Probably at him.

Naruto tried to calm down. He felt the goopy stuff in his hands. Paint. He was covered in paint. No big deal. Just paint. After coming to that realization he more calmly than before wiped the paint on his hands on the ground in front of him and then removed the paint that surrounded his eyes. When he thought that they were relatively safe he opened them. He really wished he hadn't.

There was a large crowd of villagers and some shinobi around him in a tight circle that were pointing and jeering at him. He looked down at himself. He was covered from head to toe in bright pink paint that he immediately recognized as house paint. It wouldn't come off no matter how many washes he put his clothes through. Naruto took several deep breaths as he looked around, trying to find the supplies he bought, trying to find his check, but most of all trying to find a way out.

Off behind the crowd he heard a dog growling and an old women he recognized as Tora shouting something. Naruto gingerly stood up and tried to shake off some of the paint. The laughing was so loud that it felt almost like a physical attack against his ears. Suddenly a large banner opened up and slid down the wall of the shop in front of them. Naruto stiffened.

_NO MORE NEON ORANGE, PINK IS THE NEW IN!_

The laughter got louder.

"_I hope an enemy nin finds you an easy target. Let this be a reminder for what you are and what you deserve."_

"_Seriously Uzumaki? You couldn't have picked anything more stupider looking than that!"_

"_Dude, you look like a fucking clown!"_

"_That's Naruto for you, always trying to outdo himself in the retard meter." _

"_Uzumaki you need to take being a shinobi more seriously or else you'll get yourself killed."_

"_Not like anyone would miss him."_

Naruto hugged himself as he stood there, in the middle of a tidal wave of bodies, fingers curling tightly around his upper arms until they were white. He desperately wanted the ground to rip open and take him down, deep, deep down under the earth. His heart fell into his stomach as his limbs began to feel like Jell-O.

Had the merchant done this? Since he hadn't died yet from missions did he decide to try something else? Did someone else know about what happened with the merchant and his clothes and now they were playing off of it? Did Guruko tell someone even after the dog promised him he wouldn't?

That's when Ino and Sakura pushed through the crowd. Ino was laughing so hard that she was holding her sides. Sakura was behind her, attempting very hard not to laugh, but failing miserably. Naruto suddenly felt extremely cold.

"Look Naruto! Now you can get some better clothes! Like something that Sasuke wears or well pretty much anything would look better." Ino proclaimed loudly through fits of laughter.

"And…hehe… I personally think that pink is way better on you than orange." Ino continued as she wiped away a tear from her eye.

"And… hehehe… maybe you'll get lucky and Sasuke will want to help you." Ino finished.

Naruto backed up, the goop still dripping off of him. He blankly looked around, barely noting the pieces of balloons that were spread in the midst of the paint. One of the men who'd been laughing clapped Ino on the shoulder. Naruto flinched horribly when he recognized him as the same man who twisted and broke his arm in the streets for trying to steal from him all those years ago.

"That was great kid," the Chuunin said as he calmed his laughter, "but I don't think you got the right color."

Ino straitened and tilted her head in confusion. The man smirked. He riffled through the grocery bag in his arm and pulled out a tomato.

"I think red is far more appropriate." The man stated darkly.

Sakura stopped laughing and Ino stiffened as they both gazed at the man in stunned silence.

Before either girl could say or do anything the man threw the tomato. The vegetable slammed painfully into the side of Nartuo's head and the juice splattered all over the place. Naruto staggered back, not having expected the blow, before looking at Ino and Sakura with hurt and betrayal in his eyes. The two girls just continued to stare in horror as the prank escalated into something that Ino had never expected nor wanted.

It was suppose to be a joke. Naruto was suppose to laugh with her and say that pink was better than orange. It was suppose to be a pun off of his own prank! It wasn't suppose to be mean. The crowd wasn't suppose to take such blatant mirth out of it. They weren't suppose to insult Naruto at all. Ino hadn't expected anyone to laugh along with her and Sakura and certainly not in such a horrible way. They weren't suppose to throw anything at him. This wasn't what she wanted at all. The crowd continued to murmur loudly.

"It seems even children his own age can't stand him."

"Can you blame them?"

"I wouldn't want to go near the wretch."

"He had it coming."

"Look at him, disgusting!"

"Don't go any closer!"

"I say we take an example from that man and…"

The people started shouting even harsher insults and threats at the small blonde before a ferocious snarl cut through the air. Guruko had pushed through the crowd and now stood growling fiercely at the people surrounding them. Many of the villagers stepped back fearfully. Kakashi's dog's weren't known for being threatening at all so the rows of razor sharp teeth that glistened at the crowd from the normally friendly wolf like dog frightened them.

A large man in the back who'd been shouting since the start of the incident took the moment to push through the crowd and stand next to the boy. He towered above the rest of the group and glared venomously around him. He was a shinobe, obviously an Akimichi, with dirty blonde hair pulled tightly into a ponytail in the back with his head protector slung around his neck.

"You people should be ashamed of yourselves." He hissed out angrily.

Guruko growled loudly in agreement.

The crowd of people just began shouting again, but louder and angrier this time. There was no more laughter from the original prank. Ino and Sakura felt a chill run down their spine as they felt the wave of hatred fill the air.

Tora finally made it to the center where she gently tugged Naruto's frozen form behind the Akimichi who silently made a barrier between himself and the jinchuuriki. Ino and Sakura tried to get to Naruto as well, but they were pushed aside by the suddenly angry crowd. A shadow came down from the rooftops and landed beside the Akimichi.

"I will take Naruto-kun to Iruka-san." Ebisu said softly to the large Akimichi beside him.

The man nodded in appreciation. Ebisu was an elite jounin who had the chakra and skill to shushin two or three people out of the crowd.

"Come Naruto-kun, I'm getting you out of here." The Jounin said softly.

Ebisu gently, but firmly took a hold of the blank eyed Naruto before his body flickered and disappeared. An angry and confused dog soon after following suit.

* * *

Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon raced through the halls of the academy to their class. It was almost useless seeing as it was early afternoon and school was half over, but it honestly wasn't their fault this time! Sure they were practicing making traps, but it was for ninja stuff not a prank.

If Udon hadn't accidentally set off their newly completed pra… trap then they wouldn't have spent all those hours stuck in a tree with their legs tied together and shoulders attached through a particularly nasty type of glue used for bridge work.

It didn't help at all that Konohamaru and Udon had been stuck facing each other in the embarrassing position of cheek to cheek (and at one point in their struggles lip to lip). Both of them were incredibly thankful that Moegi had been stuck tied to Konohamaru's back, facing the sky, and silently swore never to mention to anyone.

Ever.

They had come to the conclusion that it wasn't a very nice prank and wouldn't do it to any one else. The three of them learned that lesson well when they'd shaved one of their female academy teacher's heads while she was napping. Naruto had been furious with them. Naruto sat them down after their third day of detention and explained that there were certain rules to pranking.

The very first rule was that you never perform a prank that can't be undone. He had told them that shaving a person's head, especially a woman that loved her hair like their sensei, wasn't funny but cruel. He explained that it would probably take the women a couple years to regrow her hair and that it would probably deeply hurt her pride to go out in public. They could have permanently done damage that they would never be able to make up for. While it seemed like a simme harmless prank it was actually a pretty nasty one. The three of them had been rather ashamed of themselves after that and apologized, this time meaningfully, to their sensei for their actions.

Naruto then went on to explain that pranking random people at random time's was also wrong. Their idol told them that you have to have the right timing because otherwise you could seriously hurt someone without meaning to. Their sensei could have been having a bad day in which case the harmless prank could turn into a nasty event to add on to other events that might have lead up to something worse. A prank should be performed on a person who has been having a normal day if at all possible.

They also needed to be careful about who they pranked. If you wanted to prank someone you had to make sure that they had a good sense of humor. At this Naruto had admitted he'd pranked many people without a good sense of humor, but in those cases they had done something bad to him first. They'd asked for him to explain, but he'd laughed it off and refused to answer. That was how their big brother figure was, he could talk all day, but he never talked about himself.

The Konohamaru corps found their big brother figure to be amazingly cool and mysterious. All they really knew about Naruto's past was that he was an orphan that had been close to Konohamaru's grandfather, the third Hokage, before he passed away a few months before.

Konohamaru had told Moegi and Udon about how his grandfather had once said that Naruto was someone that he held a great deal of respect for. That had brought up a great deal of curiosity and interest. His grandfather, a Kage, greatly respected a genin? The troublemaker of Konoha? They had to know what it was about Naruto that could do that.

Many a times the three of them had come up with theories all the way from Naruto being a secret anbu captain to being a refugee from another country all the way to having some super cool blood line limit he kept secret because it was dangerous. When they'd barrage the blonde with their many theories he'd laughed uproariously for quite a while. They'd pouted and Naruto had shook his head and relented.

He admitted that while he wasn't a refugee his mother had been. When they'd demanded he tell them the story Naruto had smiled wickedly and said maybe another day. Needless to say the three had been angry and pouted for quite a while before Naruto dragged them to the ramen stand for dinner. They grudgingly forgave him.

The three cautiously turned onto the hall of their classroom before stopping dead in their tracks. Moegi, who'd been distracted by a rather pretty butterfly in the window to her left, accidentally bumped into Udon's back who fell forward into Konohamaru. They both fell to the floor with eyes still trained on the figure who hadn't even twitched at their arrival.

Naruto sat at the small bench outside of Iruka's room covered in half dried pink paint and some kind of red goo down the side of his face. Their big brother sat staring blankly at the floor with his hands lifelessly in his lap. Konohamaru pulled himself off the floor and carefully walked up to Naruto.

Naruto didn't even notice him.

"Aniki?" Konohamaru asked quietly.

Naruto looked up and Konohamaru watched as recognition flooded the older boy's eyes. Naruto threw a grin across his face and squinted his eyes so that the three wouldn't be able to read him.

"Oh, hayo Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon. What's up?" Naruto asked in a raised voice.

Konohamaru glanced at his best friends. He'd told them about what he'd seen last week and about what Naruto said about being sick. They'd been just as worried about the blonde as him. Moegi gingerly walked over, sitting beside the blonde, not caring in the least when pink droplets smeared across the side of her shirt.

"What happened Naruto Nee-san?" Moegi asked softly.

Naruto shrugged and attempted to wipe some of the paint off of his hands only to succeed in moving the half dried goop around.

"It's just… it's nothing. It's just been a lousy couple of weeks is all. It wasn't a big deal at all. I just wasn't expecting the prank and…" Naruto trailed off, giving a weak smile.

Moegi pulled out a square cloth from one of her pockets and wiped most of the paint from his face.

"Who pranked you?" Udon asked as Konohamaru swiped a clump of the paint off and sniffed.

The scarf wearing child grimaced as he recognized the strong odor of house paint. Konohamaru was well aware that Naruto didn't have the money to replace his clothes so whoever did this was a real asshole.

Naruto shrugged again.

"Ino and Sakura. They probably don't know anything about how to pull a decent prank so it's okay. I know they didn't mean for it to…go the way it did." Naruto explained half-heartedly, a hollow laugh echoing sadly in the hallway.

The three flinched when the pink haired girls name came up.

In their experience she was a quick tempered female who was loyal to a fault to Uchiha Sasuke and disliked Naruto for some reason or another. They briefly remembered Ino as Sakura's best friend, but Naruto had been hesitant to suggest it for reasons unknown to the trio.

His other teammate, Sasuke Uchiha, was a bit of a mixture of feelings for the trio. Moegi would admit that the Uchiha was 'cute' and 'cool' but Naruto was extremely nice and always willing to help her with any of her problems so the blonde earned far more respect in her eyes than the Uchiha prodigy. Udon and Konohamaru thought that the Uchiha was cool but that Naruto was cooler. Plus they'd all seen how the fan encrusted boy treated Naruto and they didn't like it. The Uchiha and Naruto were suppose to be friends, but they didn't act like friends, at least not like Udon, Moegi and Konohamaru did.

Moegi used up the last clean corner of her small cloth and pulled it away from Naruto who smiled at her gratefully. "Thank you," Naruto told her sincerely. She'd managed to clean off all of his face.

Konohamaru scrutinized Naruto's face and noticed to his chagrin that his big brother hadn't gained any of the weight back that he'd lost while he was sick. It really upset him and it made him wonder if Naruto had lied to him about getting better in the first place.

Was Naruto still sick? Why was he up and about if he was still sick?

Unfortunately he wasn't allowed to contemplate the thought further because Ebisu and Iruka came out of the classroom.

* * *

Ebisu promptly finished his missions report on the simple B rank that was clearly below the level in which his status as elite jounin entailed that he'd just completed and planned to spend the rest of the day in his bed. Not because the mission was difficult for him. Not at all. Clearly he could handle something so simple. He was merely wisely choosing to rejuvenate his chakra supply rather than rashly spend it in a bar celebrating a completed mission like the _other_ jounin did.

Yes that was it.

So when he heard the angry shouts of some villagers that appeared to be about to engage in an uncivilized fight he did NOT moan in despair at having to perform his rightful duties of securing the safety of the involved individuals.

Nor did he mentally debate whether to 'fuck it all and go to bed.'

And he most certainly did not consider using a simple water jutsu to 'cool off the idiotic imbeciles too stupid to know when he wanted to go to bed.'

These events did not occur.

Luckily for the man there was no Yamanaka in the vicinity to disprove Ebisu's momentary state of denial.

His eyes scanned the crowd and widened in disgusted horror. A crowd of grown adults were harassing the young Jinchuuriki with what Ebisu could only describe as a mob like intelligence. Naruto was covered from head to toe in paint and staring at a large poster directly beneath Ebisu. The crowd was jeering at the thirteen year old as if he were a criminal. Ebisu felt his anger rise.

It was true that he'd felt animosity towards the jinchuuriki in the past, but even at his peek of hatred he'd never say the things he was hearing to the boy. After taking the boy on for chakra training at the beginning of his month preparation for the finals Ebisu came to the realization of how utterly wrong he'd been about the boy.

Now, standing above the crowd and watching Naruto's blank eyed expression, he felt a rage fill him. This wasn't right. Not at all. He had to visibly force himself to not punch the man that threw the tomato and quickly shueshened (Again, sp?) to the ground beside the large Akimichi. The Chuunin who would dare attack a fellow shinobe had been dully noted in his mind's memory. The man would pay later.

Ebisu felt disgusted with himself as a horrible thought struck him.

"_Honored grandson! If you lower yourself to consort with creatures of this sort you will descend to his level!" _

"_If I'm such a horrible ninja then why is it that sometimes I've done even better than Sasuke or Sakura!" _

"_That's because you have reserves that are hardly even human!" _

A year ago he _had_ taunted Naruto in a similar fashion and he'd even gave quite the nasty remark during his training.

"I will take Naruto-kun to Iruka-san." Ebisu said in a commanding, but quiet voice.

He nodded to the Akimichi, a silent show of respect being acknowledged between them as he looked toward Naruto. Naruto was a mess.

Yes, Iruka was definitely the only person right for caring for the boy at the moment. Iruka was the only shinobe outside the Third Hokage that showed his absolute and full support of Naruto.

"Come Naruto-kun, I'm getting you out of here." The elite jounin murmured to the small blonde.

Ebisu tugged on Naruto's shirt gently, but firmly, and pulled the boy closer to him. The man let out a breath as he concentrated the little amount of chakra he had left and before the crowd disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Ebisu thought it was strange, as they entered the academy, that Naruto would allow him to lead him like he was. Normally the blonde would have been furious to be led by the hand like a child. Ebisu carefully navigated the halls till they were just outside Iruka's classroom and reluctantly told the boy to wait outside the room for him. Naruto just nodded his head and plopped down on the bench without a word. Ebisu frowned at the action, but decided it was best to not question it.

As quietly as possible Ebisu entered the classroom, he needn't have bothered at subtlety though, the children were loud enough to have covered a stampede of elephants. The moment upon his entrance Iruka glanced in his direction and signaled that he would be with him in a moment. It took all but two minutes to have every one of the hord of eight year olds to be quieted and busily working on whatever assignment Iruka saw fit to deign them with. The young Chuunin made his way over with a slightly weary air.

There was little doubt in Ebisu's mind that the man's weary approach came from whatever Naruto told the man about him. At that thought the man winced. Still the man had a smile and an open body language to convey a willingness to listen despite past events. It was this same openness and easy forgiveness that most likely attracted Naruto's attention and respect in the first place. For that Ebisu respected the young man despite his rank as a Chuunin.

"Forgive the commotion before Ebisu-san. I was teaching the children how to set up basic traps in every day, plain jane settings, without them being seen. Not very successful but good enough for first attempts." Iruka said sheepishly as he scratched the back of his neck nervously.

_'So that's were he gets it from.' _Ebisu thought in amusement as an image of Naruto performing that same nervous gesture came to mind.

"I'm sorry to bother you while in the middle of class, but there has been an incident that needs your immediate attention." Ebisu stated while stifling a yawn.

The adrenalin rush from earlier was gone and the Jounin was having a hard time preventing his head from dipping to the side.

Damn his unswerving sense of duty.

"What type of incident would need the help of an academy teacher?" Iruka asked in alarm.

Ebisu grimaced. He hated giving bad news to people, it just wasn't in his forte, he did not possess an ability to be empathetic. He could be sympathetic but trying to see a situation from a different person's view and understand what they were going through was not in his arsenal of mental skills. One of the reasons he was a private tutor rather than an academy instructor.

"Naruto was targeted by a rather distasteful prank but it was not that, that was the problem, rather the reaction that the witnesses of the prank performed. The crowd took the opportunity unwittingly supplied by Sakura-san and Ino-san to threaten Naruto. One them even had the gull to throw something at the boy." Ebisu explained quietly.

Iruka was looking pale as he continued to talk.

"Naruto is safe, outside this classroom actually, but I thought it would be best if you kept an eye on him today. It's been years since so many people showed such blatant anger so publicly. I will watch your class for the rest of the day." Ebisu finished briskly.

Iruka nodded thankfully and the two men headed to the door.

Ebisu watched as Iruka stiffened at the sight of the small blonde. The man doubted he even noticed his three late students standing around the boy. Naruto shrugged in response to Iruka's frozen form and tried to slap a grin on his face but it turned into another grimace.

"Oh Naruto." Iruka said softly.

The young Chuunin wrapped his right arm around Naruto's shoulders, not hesitating in the least despite the paint, and began to lead Naruto down the hall. Ebisu watched them go silently and admittedly in awe of the way the two seemed to communicate without saying much. Konohamaru didn't seem so keen to allow his sensei and big brother figure to go so easily.

"Is Naruto still sick?" Konohamaru demanded loudly.

The boy's voice carried its way into the classroom causing curious eight-year-old ears to listen in. Naruto flinched horribly at the loud question and turned to glare at the younger boy. Konohamaru stepped back a bit in surprise at the icy glower directed his way, but ultimately held his ground in determination.

"Sick?" Iruka questioned worriedly as he glanced down at Naruto.

Ebisu also turned to take a closer look at the boy. Now that he was looking Ebisu noticed with chagrin that the boy did appear to be thinner than before and his face, that he could now see had been cleared of paint, seemed rather pale. Was that why Naruto had allowed him to lead him so easily? Because he was ill?

The small blonde's glare seemed to intensify as his and Iruka's gaze continued to scrutinize him.

"I told you already Konohamaru, I came down with a bad flu, but now I'm better. I'm not sick anymore." Naruto said angrily.

Ebisu noted with more than a little confusion that the anger seemed to be laced with fear. Fear of what? Konohamaru crossed his arms in rebellious defiance and glared back fiercely.

"That's what you said nearly a week ago Aniki, but from what I see you don't look no better to me." Konohamaru declared in a childish huff.

Ebisu would admit only to himself that he was slightly impressed with his student's evident dismissal of his idols own words. Another part of him noted that he would have to work on his young students use of vocabulary. It was not appropriate for the honorable grandson to be speaking in such an uneducated fashion.

Naruto scowled. "I'm fine."

Konohamaru stomped his foot. "Are not!"

Iruka coughed to gain everyone's attention. "Alright! Naruto, your staying at my house tonight, no arguments. Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon… detention with me tomorrow afternoon after classes."

"What?" Konohamaru cried out indignantly.

Ebisu took his chance to usher the children into the class room with a nod in Iruka's direction. Iruka in turn smiled warmly before tugging Naruto away in the direction of his home. Naruto followed tiredly behind him, not in the mood to fight or argue, till he walked beside him. As they entered onto the front road Naruto leaned against Iruka's shoulder. The man once more put his arm around Naruto's much smaller shoulder with a worried frown creasing his features.

When one of Kakashi's dog's leaped from a roof and padded along beside them Iruka spared the animal barely a glance before his attention drifted back to Naruto. The medium sized wolf spoke not a word as he followed the two humans.

* * *

"Lady Tsunade, there's a young genin here to see you, Sasuke Uchiha." Shizune announced in a clipped tone.

Tsunade raised a brow at her assistant, but nodded in acceptance, she'd question the young woman later. Shizune used the same tone of voice and nature when she interacted with her newly made apprentice Sakura. In walked the famed prodigy of Hatake Kakashi of the infamous Sharingan.

The boy was tightly holding his shoulder where, if she wasn't wrong, lay the curse seal placed there by her rouge teammate. The raven-haired youth had a look of resigned determination, like he was walking to his own execution, and wished to see it through with pride. The arrogant smirk he normally wore had been temporarily subdued for some reason. Both her eyebrows rose.

The Uchiha sat down roughly in one of her two guest chairs, a worn look stretched across his face, pride the only thing keeping him from moaning in pain. Tsunade gingerly picked up her freshly made cup of tea and calculatingly looked over the rim toward the boy.

"Hm," she murmured softly, "I don't recall inviting you to sit in a chair boy, so please tell me why it is that your ass is in one of my seats."

It wasn't a question, more of a demand, much to the prodigy's immense surprise. The Uchiha blinked, then sputtered indignantly, thought about it and proceeded to swiftly stand without a word. He remembered _some _of Sakura's yammering and two of those things were the Hokage's strength and temper.

Tsunade nodded her head in approval. The boy _was _smart after all.

"Alright, good, now you may have a seat boy." Tsunade said with a wave of her hand.

This time the Uchiha blinked for several seconds before looking at her incredulously with an almost angry aura.

"Well I don't have all day to listen to your useless whining so sit down." Tsunade said far more harshly.

Awe, she forgot how much fun it was to scare little genin could be. The boy scrambled to the seat he'd been in only moments before.

"So what request do you have for me? I've already gotten requests from both of your teammates." Tsunade said idly.

The Uchiha in front of her tilted his head ever so slightly, which caused all of his bangs to fall to one side of his face, and both eyebrows raised.

"I know that Sakura asked you to be her mentor, but what did Naruto ask you for?" Sasuke asked before wincing, Tsuande couldn't tell if it was due to the curse seal or the mention of Naruto's name.

Tsunade tapped her fingers as she debated the merit of saying anything to the boy in front of her. On one hand it was really none of the Uchiha's business, but on the other she wanted to know _why _Naruto suddenly wanted out of team 7 and why he hadn't said anything to his team.

"Tell me Uchiha, how has your team been lately?" Tsunade asked rather than answer.

The Uchiha winced again. Tsunade tipped her teacup back and took a long gulp of the hot liquid, mentally trying to conjure the sweet jasmine into harsh vodka, instead all she got was a slightly burnt tongue.

"That bad huh?" Tsunade muttered with a sigh.

The boy sighed through his nose as he spoke.

"That's actually part of the reason why I'm here today." The Uchiha began in a crisp yet weary tone. "Kakashi placed a suppression seal on me over Orochimaru's curse seal, but it's not working. It's been hurting a lot more recently and… its been affecting my thinking. If I feel mad then there's a stinging pain from the seal and I'm absolutely furious. If I feel sad then the pain comes and I'm suddenly overwhelmed by despair. If I'm thinking about something then I feel a twinge and what I was thinking about becomes… darker… twisted." The Uchiha trailed off into silence, looking at his Hokage with an almost desperate need for help.

Tsunade stared into her cup. Her hands gently swished the cooling tea back and forth as her thoughts tumbled in a similar fashion. She really didn't know much about the boy in front of her, only that Naruto was willing to die in order to bring her back home, back home to heal him and their sensei. She also knew that Sakura had a rather large crush on the boy.

Luckily she'd learned how to tune out such rants with a miracle ability called 'selective hearing.' It was often used by the elderly shinobe, such as her own sensei, and mistakenly labeled as 'going deaf.' It left her in the unfortunate position of having no clue as to any of the many facts Sakura would have informed her about if she'd been listening.

No doubt Sakura held a biased opinion, but she'd been a kunoichi of the highest degree for a long time and would have been able to pull out the grain of truth no matter how deeply intertwined with fiction it was. She gently swished her cup once again before placing it on the table. The boy that she'd unconsciously adopted as a grandson told her that Sasuke was a talented shinobe and a good person. The girl that she'd taken on as her apprentice for the sheer amount of skill in chakra control and a evident good heart looked up to him and had a crush on him.

_'Sasuke Uchiha huh?' _

Tsunade cleared her throat.

"The seal placed on you to control the curse seal relies solely on your will. The only way that the curse seal would be able to influence your thoughts would be if you _wanted_ the power that it offers whether it be conscious or subconscious. The only way that the suppression seal can effectively work is if you whole heartedly _want _to suppress it and all that it represents." Tsunade stated matter o factly.

Sasuke visibly flinched and looked away guiltily. Tsunade nodded to herself, silently wishing that a nice bottle of sake was within her grasp, unfortunately her loathsome and nosy know-it-all assistant had decided that alcohol in the office was a _bad_ thing.

_'Shizune's such a fun sucker.' _Tsunade thought dismally.

"So you consciously wanted the power. What made you come to me for help then?" Tsuande asked.

It was just her luck that her wretched ex-teammate would leave her with a mess. The Uchiha… no Sasuke still refused to look at her. He preferred to look out the window, keeping her in his sight from the corner of his right eye, his fists clenched white at his side.

"Something happened nearly a week ago that made me realize that my thoughts are being manipulated. It scared me to death and made me angry at the same time. I don't want anyone or anything to make decisions for me or force me into something. What happened… it forced me to think rationally… clearly." Sasuke tried to explain. "It made me see a lot of the things I've been doing and saying recently without the anger and hatred clouding everything." The last of the words were said so quietly that Tsunade had to strain in order to hear the boy.

Tsunade peered at the dark haired little genin in front of her with the tinest bit of respect. Perhaps her ex-teammate hadn't been quite so right about the last Uchiha of Konoha after all and some of Naruto and Sakura's respect for the boy held some foundation to it. She considered the situation as the last few drops of cooling hot tea slid from side to side. There was one option that she could offer the Uchiha, but if the boy wasn't strong enough, if his will wasn't absolutely set…

Tsunade spoke softly but her voice was so crisp and clear there was no mistaking anything she said. "I would like to propose an idea to you Sasuke. Two people have gone through with a particular ritual to completely seal away a curse seal given to them by Orochimaru that entails some high risks."

Sasuke's eye's narrowed. "I'll do it."

Tsunade smirked. "Your arrogance is just as large as your predecessors. There are no percentages of risk for this Sasuke, simply a reading of the soul, the success completely depends on you. In this ritual you will either walk away with your life and freedom or be devoured by the seal till ashes remain where your body once was. Live or die depends completely on you."

In the wake of her words Sasuke simply sat there quietly.

Tsunade gave the boy a sad rueful smile, her voice just as cheerful and stern as when he walked in the office.

"Still eager to jump into this?"

* * *

Naruto pulled the towl through his hair as he stepped out of Iruka's shower. The air was full of steam as the blonde had taken advandtage of the hot water nearly burning his skin. He was more relaxed in Iruka's home than he ever was in his own home or with his team. His muscles, which seemed to have been stuck in a permanent tense state, finally relaxed under the showers ministrations.

When he got dressed in a pair of Iruka's rookie Chuunin clothes he found Guruko and his old sensei waiting for him on the couch in the living room. Pulling the far too long sleeves up his arm and trying not to trip on the too long pant legs Naruto stumbled across the living room. He settled into the spot beside Iruka and leaned against him without a word. In response Iruka carefully picked up two mugs of hot cocoa from the coffee table and placed one in Naruto's hands.

Iruka knew exactly how to handle a melancholy Naruto. Warmth and Companionship.

A hot shower, something warm to drink and a familiar person to just be with. No words are required. The simple act of being beside one another in safety was good enough for the blonde to feel better. Iruka wasn't quite sure what to make of the animal beside him, but somehow the dog seemed just as confused and worried as himself. So the academy teacher simply shrugged at the dog's presence. Guruko seemed to relax Naruto and that was good enough for him.

Naruto held the warm chocolet liquid comfortably and took a sip of it contentedly. He could always just get up a little extra early tomorrow to work it off. Naruto brought his legs up on the couch and fully leaned his head against Iruka's arm. Guruko moved from Iruka's side to Naruto's, snuggling as close as he could, and burying his face under the pillow at the edge of the couch.

"You want to talk about it?" Iruka asked quietly.

"No." Naruto said firmly.

Iruka nodded in understanding. Naruto took another sip before leaning forward and setting the mug down again. As he withdrew back into the comfort of the couch he laid his head down on his knees so that he was looking at Iruka.

"Iruka sensei, what are you doing Saturday?" Naruto asked.

"Just grading papers, why?" Iruka asked, also putting down his mug.

"There's something important that I'm doing Saturday and… can you come with me?" Naruto asked softly.

Naruto glanced quickly at the dog beside him, eyes nervous, and shoulders tensed uncertainly.

Iruka frowned. Naruto sounded scared and that quite frankly spooked him. Naruto wasn't scared of anything. He was the student who jumped off the cliff first to jump into the water below on a field trip. He was the one who stood up to six older boys bullying him and _won_ in the fight that followed merely because he could take the hits they threw at him. He was the child who by passed several Chuunin squads to hang suspended on a rope over a nearly thousand foot drop to _paint _the most prized monument in Konogakuru. Naruto was someone who faced a Chuunin in battle and won before he even graduated from the academy.

Naruto was not frightened easily.

"What is it that you need to do Saturday Naruto?" Iruka asked.

"An operation." Naruto mumbled.

"I'm sorry… what?" Iruka asked confused.

"I need to get an operation." Naruto stated louder. Guruko's head shot out from under the pillow. Iruka stiffened up and stared at his younger brother figure.

"An operation for what?" Iruka asked worriedly.

"…"

__

"Naruto?" Guruko prodded gently.

"For my heart." Naruto finally answered.

"Explain." Iruka demanded calmly.

Naruto spent the rest of the afternoon curled up by Iruka's side quietly telling his father figure everything concerning his heart.

A dog silently watched and listened and pondered as his headache got worse.


	15. Broken Memory Seal

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Gold star to anyone who guessed that, right? Anyone who didn't… Good luck in life. You'll need it.

Well… **I KINDA BROKE MY RIGHT WRIST**… I have a condition where I have insufficient bone marrow so my bones break easily. I've fractured a knuckle on my left hand. Broken my right ankle once. Sprained my left ankle once. Sprained my right ankle after that. Broke my left hand and this is my second time breaking my right wrist. What can ya do? I looked absolutely retarded attempting to write all this with one hand. Especially the left. I haven't even looked at Reviews yet cause quite frankly I would feel bad not telling people why I haven't updated and yet looking at it. Checking email doesn't use even 1/100 of wrist movement so it was easy. I also didn't feel like sending out a fake chapter telling everyone my wrist is broken and I can't type. BUT NOW IT'S ALL BETTER! I can type again!

And THEN the babies… I haven't slept in two weeks. My step mom's friends came for a three week visit from Israel and their new born hasn't stopped crying… eye twitches. Plus a three and four year old with lungs of steal. Adorable. But no sleep. Leaves author bleary eye'd while writing. I had to delete three four page scenes because I looked at them and am like WTF… This is really horrible.

[Throws hands up and shakes fist at the sky] Uhh… hate writers block… and changing diapers. Nearly threw up yesterday.

WARNING: MENTIONS OF RAPE. As always though I try to keep it in the discreet sense. Vulgar words for what rapist says though. Not actually rape scene just specific remembered little things for psychological effect.

* * *

Chapter 15: Broken Memory Seal

A/N: I didn't realize it would come out being this long… It's three times (almost 4X) what I normally write for a chapter. Plus… It's the climax, it deserved to be the longest chapter. ; )

A bag of chips popped open. Fingers reached inside and pulled out a handfull. Eyes belonging to a rounded face peared around the deserted playground in search of blonde hair. Chouji licked his lips as Shikamaru glanced his way from his spot on the ground. Sharp dark brown eyes periodically would sweep their sights across the area before turning up once more. The lazy teen was idly watching the cloudy sky as they waited for the third member to show up.

Neither of them would admit it, but both of them were nervous about finally talking to Naruto. He and Shikamaru knew that Naruto was sick, but getting the blonde to admit it, and then trying to get him to let them help him would be a painful task. Naruto obviously didn't want anyone to know he was sick, for whatever reason, and Naruto was the most stubborn person they knew. Well… it was a coin toss between Lee and Naruto.

Ch'ing. Chin. Ching.

Chouji looked in the direction of the metal fence, curios as to what was hitting it. A small but fast figure was running along the top of it in their direction. When they made it to the area of the fence directly in front of them the figure jumped and landed softly beside Shikamaru. Chouji's hand stilled and he blinked. It was Naruto, but he wearing clothes far too big for him. And not orange. Shikamaru nodded in welcome while Chouji waved.

"Sorry I'm a few minutes late. I got into a mess and had to borrow clothes from Iruka sensei." Naruto explained sheepishly.

Ahh… that explained it.

Chouji's eyes critically assessed the small blonde before him. By the dark rings Chouji could tell that Naruto hadn't gotten a full nights sleep in the last three or four weeks. The visible sign didn't seem to be in sync with Naruto's body language though. Normally a person that's sleep deprived would have disrupted body movement. Jerks. Twitches. Stiffness. Slowed reaction time to speech or movement. Naruto exhibited none of these.

Then it clicked.

He remembered a conversation that Ino and Sakura held not too long after the Chuunin Exams. Sakura had commented that Naruto healed faster than most people. That claim was supported when Naruto, who'd been badly cut up and heavily bruise from team 7's mission in snow country, was healed completely in two days. It would take a normal person three weeks to heal from the same wounds. Chouji supposed that such a healing rate could also point to an ability to endure longer periods of stress on the body before it succumbs to evident signs of fatigue.

Naruto's tan skin held a pinched look to it, slightly paler than normal, with small patches of red that would have been easier to see if he was looking at someone naturally pale. Naruto's lips were dry, cracked and nearly white. These things pointed to slight dehydration from vomiting and a low level, but constant fever that might have been a high level at one point. Naruto's hair was also duller than usual which pointed to a sudden lack of vitamins, not just one kind, but most vitamins. Chances were that Naruto hadn't been eaten very much since his illness struck him.

Naruto shifted, walking over to the swings, and sagging tiredly into a seat. The movement told Chouji exactly how much Naruto weighed at the moment and it scared him even further. Out of the rookie twelve Naruto was the youngest and smallest of them all, even all the girls. Naruto was normally about 85 pounds, which Chouji knew was five pounds less than he should be, for his age and height. At the moment though Naruto was only 74 pounds. Whatever sickness this was it had caused a dangerous amount of weight loss. Chouji imagined that Naruto's collar bone was probably far most defined and his ribs visible along with his hip bone. Once again though his damned oversized clothes hid it from view.

Naruto began to push back and forth on the swing with his feet, just hard enough to give him a little movement. That was Naruto, never satisfied with holding still, naturally fidgety.

"So what'cha guys want to talk about?" Naruto asked. He traded glances with Shikamaru. Shikamaru sighed.

"Look… Naruto, it's too bothersome to attempt to beat around the bush with this. We know that you've been sick and it's really worried us." Shikamaru said bluntly.

Naruto's feet dragged across the ground as he halted the swinging motions to look up in surprise at the two of them. Blonde hair fell to the side as Naruto tilted his head and squinted his eyes in scrutiny. Chouji shifted uncomfortably under the unfamiliar gaze.

"Even if I'm sick…" Naruto said slowly. "Why would that bother you guys? It's not like I've been failing missions. I'm still doing my job."

Chouji stared at the blonde, unsure, before glancing at Shikamaru for reassurance. The shadow user gave a slight nod to him.

Chouji let out a breath of air to relax. He did not do good in confrontations like these. On the battlefield he simply followed Shikamaru's directives, but in a scenario where he knew more than Shikamaru the large teen found himself faltering.

"Naruto, we're your friends. If something's going on or your sick then we want to be able to help." Chouji explained steadily.

Chouji watched as Naruto's lips twitched at the corner of his mouth in a bitter smile even as he shook his head.

"We're comrades. Not friends." Naruto said softly, almost sadly.

Chouji stared in hurt silence. Shikamaru wasn't nearly so passive.

"We didn't spend all fucking week tracking you done because you're a shinobi. Do you really think I'd put all this effort into trying to lecture you about missions?" Shikamaru asked in exasperation.

Naruto shrugged indifferently before getting up from the swing and heading for the gates. Chouji stepped in front of the blonde, watching Naruto's eyes darken as he tried to step back only to feel Shikamaru's hand clamp onto his shoulder. Naruto was trapped between a boulder and a stubborn shadow user.

"We tracked you down because your our friend as well as our comrade." Shikamaru said calmly.

Chouji nodded in agreement.

Naruto looked around nervously, rubbing the bridge of his noise, avoiding looking at either of them.

"You guys don't know anything about me, how can you say that?" Naruto finally asked.

Shikamaru sighed.

"Your Naruto. A little slow sometimes. A funny guy. Stubborn, annoyingly so. Your loud and brash, but you also believe in your teammates and try to help anyone who needs it. Your Naruto." Shikamaru answered with a wry grin.

Chouji watched Naruto look at the ground. Shifting from foot to foot. Hands shoved deep into the depths of too big pants.

"You don't know very much." Naruto observed, his head slowly rising to look at them with a wobbly smile in place.

"No," Shikamaru agreed, his words coming out with great consideration, "but we know enough to know that you're a good person. We know enough that we want to help and get to know you better."

Chouji nodded in agreement.

He wasn't nearly as word savvy as Shikamaru, but the young Chuunin seemed more than capable of talking for the both of them. Naruto hesitated for a moment before meeting their gazes evenly for the first time that night. Chouji felt himself still. It struck him suddenly that he hadn't looked Naruto directly in the eyes since that day years ago when Naruto had come up to play with them and Chouji had turned his back on him in avoidance.

He suddenly remembered why he avoided looking into Naruto's eyes since then. Icy blue stared back at him just like then. Guarded. Weary. Unsure. Hopeful. Naruto's eye's went completely against his personality in every way and made you question not only him, but yourself. It was eerie. Always had been. He could even hear Shikamaru shift from front foot to back foot. He'd been startled.

"What if I'm not a good person? What if your wasting your time by going through all this effort just to help someone who doesn't deserve it?" Naruto questioned, cold eyes glittering in the moonlight.

The month was near it's end. The full moon casting shadows about the sturdy ground that weaved with the leaves swimming about the windy air. Winter would be there soon with it's chilling air and unforgiving bite.

Chouji wasn't sure what to say to that. He tried. Really he did, but it was too much. His lips twitched and a grin spread across his face. Shikamaru shook his head and laughed.

"You really do have to make everything so troublesome. Tell you what… If you turn out to be some evil person bent on world destruction we'll talk about what you deserve and don't. Otherwise I think any effort we put into helping you is worth it." Shikamaru said, clapping Naruto's back lightly before flinching at the muscle and bone he felt.

Chouji saw this and grimaced. They'd gotten a bit sidetracked. Naruto didn't laugh at Shikamaru's joke though, instead he seemed to pale a little. Shikamaru raised at brow questioningly as Naruto muttered under his breath.

"Eh? Naruto you aren't planning world domination are you?" Chouji asked teasingly.

"Ehehehe. No." Naruto answered, eye twitching.

"Back to the main point though," Shikamaru said quietly, "We'd like to know why your sick."

Both Naruto and Chouji sobered immediately. Chouji watched as Shikamaru clenched the fist that had touched Naruto's back. It seemed that his friend knew now what Chouji had known since Naruto sat down on the swing. Perhaps not the extent, but certainly a much closer idea than he had before.

"It's not bad. Just a nasty flu. I'm already over it." Naruto told them, grinning. Chouji stared at his friend long and hard. He was lying. He knew that much, but the smile looked… real. It made him feel intensely uncomfortable to know that his friend could lie so easily.

"You don't have to lie to us." Chouji said softly. Naruto's smile faltered for a second before it became wider.

"It's not a big deal. I can take care of myself. I'm not weak." Naruto insisted waving his hand as if to wave off the whole affair.

"We're not saying you are, but we are saying you need help. There's a big difference." Shikamaru told him sternly.

Naruto shrugged before sighing.

"I'll tell you if you'll let it be and promise not to tell Sasuke or Sakura." Naruto finally offered.

Chouji exchanged looks with Shikamaru and a message passed between them.

"We won't tell Sasuke or Sakura…" Shikamaru began slowly.

"But whether we do something or not depends on what you tell us." Chouji finished, putting his empty bag of potato chips down.

Naruto gripped his left arm before rubbing it as if he was suddenly cold and he found intense interest in the slide eight feet in front of him.

"Look… it's not a big deal. It's just my heart is a bit damaged. Been damaged since I was a kid." Naruto explained softly.

Chouji felt his own heart trap in his throat. Beside him Shikamaru's jaw clenched.

"I've been having check up's and I'm going in for a surgery pretty soon. I'm handling it. So… thanks for your guy's help, but I've got it all under control." Naruto looked up then and grinned, if possible, even wider than before. "I've had these problems for years so it's not like I don't know how to take care of myself." Naruto explained, pulling away from them a bit.

"Naruto… heart damage is… that's really bad. Why have you been… Why are you taking missions?" Shikamaru demanded angrily.

Naruto stared at him, startled beyond words.

"It's more than that though isn't it?" Chouji questioned. When Naruto remained silent he barreled on. "It's worsened lately right? That's why you've become so ill…" Chouji trailed off.

"I'm not Ill. Just a little tired." Naruto insisted.

"Exhausted is more like it." Chouji countered. "You need to stay with someone. You shouldn't be living by yourself in such a condition." Chouji finished.

"I'm staying with Iruka till the surgery." Naruto answered.

"That's not what we mean Naruto." Shikamaru butt in.

"And why does everyone insist on calling it a condition? You all act as if I'm so fucking piece of glass or someth'in." Naruto muttered under his breath.

Then Naruto blinked. looking at Shikamaru in confusion, apparently just hearing his last remark.

"What do you mean by that?" Naruto asked.

"I mean I think that you should permanently stay with someone. We're discussing it with our parents and I think that they'll go for it. We want you to come live with one of us." Shikmaru explained softly.

Chouji watched as Naruto began to tremble before them. It first came in the form of a light quiver of the lip before his hands began to shake and then a shudder visibly touched his shoulders. Naruto's head was bent forward so that it was impossible to see his eyes behind too long blonde bangs. Naruto clenched his fist and for some reason the action served as a means of pulling himself together. Chouji watched in concern as the shaking stopped to be replaced with a stiffness.

"Naruto…" Chouji asked uncertainly.

Then Naruto's head shot up so fast he was sure the blonde suffered from whiplash.

A grin split his face so wide that his eyes were closed. His body still stiff even while he shook his head in ill concealed mirth.

"You guys… are very kind but… your parents would and will never do anything like that." Naruto stated quite firmly.

Chouji didn't understand.

He looked toward Shikamaru to see a hard look in the brunets eyes. Shika understood. Naruto continued.

"There's a very good reason why _everyone _in Konoha hates me. Your parents aren't just going to start smiling and being nice to me because you want them do. I'm a bad influence remember?" Naruto demanded softly.

Indeed, Chouji did remember, his mothers own words she'd said so long ago right in front of Naruto's face.

"Naruto… My mom hasn't said anything about you in a long time." Chouji hurried in defense of his mom.

"So now it's okay to hang out with me right? 'Cause I'm not so terrible anymore. Not nearly as big of a plague?" Naruto questioned.

There wasn't any anger or even mirth now. Just tiredness and acceptance. Chouji didn't know what to say and it seemed Shikamaru didn't either. Naruto just smiled and shook his head in sad understanding.

"I've been taking care of myself, whether I've been sick or not, my whole life. It's alright. I don't need help and I would never bother you guys and your family's like that." Naruto said reassuringly.

The blonde gently placed a hand on Chouji's shoulder, giving the tense shoulders a gentle squeeze, before walking passed him. Naruto bent his knees slightly in preparation for making a jump up onto the chain link fence once more in order to get to the rooftops when Shikamru called out to him.

"Whether you like it or not we're not giving you a choice in the matter Naruto. Your going to be staying with one of us after your operation. We'll be at the hospital this Saturday waiting for you to get out of surgery. You hear me?" Shikamaru told Naruto.

Naruto gave a noncommitted shrug without looking back. Leaping up into the air he landed lightly on the fence before leaping once more and landing on the rooftops of the leaf villages ninja academy. Little did the due in the park know that Naruto wouldn't be going to the hospital.

* * *

On his way back from talking with Shikamaru and Chouji Naruto searched the market district he'd been in that afternoon for his check and any remaining groceries. It was unfortunate for him that Tora-san had gone home already so if the old woman had managed to pick anything up he wouldn't know until the next day. He found nothing on the streets. None of his groceries and no check. Four weekends of hard work destroyed in a matter of minutes. Grim faced Naruto made his way back to Iruka's home.

To his dismay the young Chuunin sat in the kitchen, flour on his face, with a beautifully cooked dinner on the table. Lemon chicken set up in the middle of the table with a serving of cooked broccoli and corn for sides. Naruto felt his stomach turn with hunger. Guruko yipped happily, despite the fact that he'd eaten his fill of meat that day already, and begged shamelessly at Iruka's feet.

The smell was unbearable. It was mouthwatering. Iruka's smile was so warm and kind. Naruto unconsciously let his right hand touch his disgusting, growling stomach. God he wished it would stop. It was embarrassing. As if he were begging to be fed and fattened. Naruto felt himself blush horribly as the sound of another growl filled the air. Iruka laughed good naturedly.

"Well it sounds like someone's hungry. Come! Sit and eat." Iruka said happily.

Naruto hesitantly sat down.

"You didn't have to cook all this Iruka sensei." Naruto put forth.

"Nonsense! You're a growing boy, you need to eat a good meal outside of that junk you have in your home." Iruka said with teasing sternness.

'_The only way I grow seems to be outwards.' _Naruto thought sullenly as he stared at the food.

Iruka placed his food on his own plate before looking at his young charge expectantly. Naruto bit his lip before putting a small portion of each delicacy onto his own plate. Iruka frowned causing Naruto to double check the portions.

'_Did I take too much?' _Naruto thought stiffly.

"Naruto… Is that all your going to eat? You didn't get very much." Iruka asked in concern.

Confused Naruto could only nod.

Iruka took a bite. A look of contemplation on his face.

"You know… I really won't be able to eat all of this by myself. I made enough for three people not me and the dog." Iruka remarked with a wink. "If you feel embarrassed about eating at my house don't be. Your more than welcome to have anything in my home Naruto." Iruka explained casually.

"Thank you Iruka sensei." Naruto responded meekly.

Naruto took a bite. It was absolutely delicious. It made him realize just how hungry he was. He hadn't eaten since yesterday. He wouldn't eat much… just what was on his plate. Naruto savored each piece, telling Iruka how good it was after each one, leaving the older male with a bright smile on his face. Even the vegetables, steamed with special herbs, tasted good.

Naruto was very aware of the giant bulge his stomach was becoming though. He could practically feel the slimy fat touching the edge of his pants. Naruto put the fork down when he ate the last of the corn. His eyes shamefully pondered just how fast he'd eaten it all, like a pig eating his slop. He eyed just how white the plate looked. Not a speck of food left.

He would be meeting Syne tomorrow night… He'd just have to work extra hard after he got out of the office for the day tomorrow.

'_There's nothing worse than a fat whore. Your body flabs moving all over the place. Disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself, but like the fat fuck you are your just gonna go home and stuff yourself again.' _Syne's cruel words whispered.

Naruto jerked in surprise when something plonked onto his plate. There was another piece of chicken and some more broccoli on his plate. Naruto looked at Iruka questioningly.

"Eat up! Your obviously still hungry. I told you that you don't need to be so formal and polite in my house. If you need anything now or in the middle of the night just get up and get it." Iruka explained happily.

"I don't need all this…" Naruto tried to protest. "Really Iruka sensei my first plate was more than enough." The blonde only just barely managed to keep the rising panic out of his voice.

Iruka frowned.

"If you don't like the food you can just say something Naruto. I've got plenty of other things I can cook up for you." Iruka suggested.

"No! Your food's amazing. I'm just not all that hungry." Naruto explained.

At that moment his stupid, loathsome stomach decided to make itself known again with a rather loud growl. He was still hungry, but he'd worked so hard to get rid of his bloated, oversized stomach that he refused to give in to it. Iruka frowned at him.

"Really Naruto. I can make you something else." The man said kindly. Naruto shook his head in defeat. He'd just have to work really hard in training tomorrow and skip dinner altogether.

He ate the whole plate. Again. He felt so heavy and gross. He couldn't disappoint Iruka though, he refused to ever hurt the man in any way. Naruto examined himself in the bedroom mirror, eyes staring dismally at his stomach. It seemed to have grown since he'd started eating dinner.

He'd been such a pig and it had felt good to be one. His stomach had stopped hurting now and he was forced to admit he liked the feeling. He remembered how much he'd liked it before too… when his gullet had hung over his pants and ass had been tight against his backside. He wouldn't let that happen again.

He ended up sleeping in one of Iruka's oversized shirts, the man claimed Naruto could get his clothes in the morning. Guruko knew better though, Iruka was reluctant to let Naruto out of his sights after the startling revelation about the condition of Naruto's heart.

* * *

Iruka insisted that Naruto stay at his home until the surgery and that he would stay with Naruto the entire time he was in the emergency room of the tower. After their long talk Iruka had sent a message through a jutsu, which he refused to teach to Naruto until he reached Chuunin level because of protocol, telling Shizune of events and that Naruto would be with him.

Iruka had been hesitant to allow Naruto to go out, but Naruto had given him what he dubbed as 'the look.' The look was something that Iruka knew must have been inherited somehow, in someway from the Sadaime, despite lack of blood between the two of them. It was an icy stern look that told whoever was unfortunate enough to garner it's attention that they're would be no discussion on the subject.

The first time he'd ever found himself in it's view was actually back in the academy as a child after one of his own pranks. The Sadaime Hokage had been there for a lecture, as he often did after he retired from his kagehood, but was forced to cut back on due to the Yodaime's unexpected death.

Coincidentally, Iruka first encountered the look from Naruto in the academy as well, only this time the roles were reversed in more ways than one. Naruto had placed more than a dozen non-poisoness garden snakes into the desk of a teacher named Kurama. The woman had been hysterical, apparently having an unhealthy fear of snakes because of a certain purple haired Jounin, and sentenced Naruto to three weeks of detention. Iruka had been the one to oversee the boy's punishment after school due to Lady Kurama's resolute refusal to be alone in the same room as the boy.

It had been the first time encountering the boy and he'd walked in knowing that the troublemaker would be entering his classroom immediately after the winter break ended. He'd been apprehensive about meeting the child that contained the Kyuubi and, he would admit to himself, with a bit of prejudice behind that hesitance.

* * *

_It had shocked him more than a little to walk into the classroom to see a book in the boy's hands, sitting quietly, reading. He recognized the bright blonde hair and whiskers immediately, but because the boy was leaned over so far his eyes were hidden from the man. When the young blonde noticed his presence there was no obvious show of acknowledgement, only a small jerk of the shoulders, possibly in startlement. He hurriedly put the book into his back pack and given him a cheesy grin so wide that his eyes squinted._

"_Hiya Teach, you the one that picked the shortest straw huh?" The boy greeted. _

_Iruka's left eye twitched. _

"_You need to learn to respect your elders Uzumaki. This kind of behavior is unacceptable." _

"_Sir, yes sir!" The blonde replied with a mock salute. _

_Iruka shook his head in disapproval, sitting down at Kurama's normal desk, before going into his box of papers he'd brought from his office for his own students essays. Just because he had detention duty did not mean he would waste the time given. He didn't think he'd get much done since he suspected the troublemaker would be making numerous attempts to get away from his punishment, but there was no reason not to try. _

_Rather than make a jumble of noise though Naruto sat calmly, eyes staring at the ceiling, the occasional fidget here and there showing the boy's discomfort. Iruka peeked up every few minutes to find no changes for the first twenty minutes. By the time half an hour passed Iruka looked up once again to find his charge had fallen asleep with his head on the desk. Iruka shook his head, contemplating the merits of waking the boy up, after all it was a punishment not nap time. On the other hand he had behaved well so far…. _

_Iruka peered quietly over the boy's form, he certainly didn't look evil, in fact he seemed to fall into the scrawny category. The back pack the boy was carrying looked as if it had been picked out of the trash. Small holes were in the bottom and dirt fell off it in flakes. The child was a troublemaker so it was very possible that he'd dragged it through the mud and up trees in his gallivanting. Still… he looked absolutely exhausted. Iruka sighed. There was paperwork to get done anyway and if Naruto was asleep he wouldn't have to worry about anything. _

_The next day detention was just as peaceful, as well as the day after that, the only interruption being the less than polite greeting and reply. On the fourth day Naruto cautiously pulled out a few papers and started to write on them. Iruka certainly wasn't gong to bother him for a positive action so let it be. The whole second week of detention passed in this fashion as well. Iruka working on his students turned in assignments while Naruto worked on… whatever. The last day of the second week came with a small change though. _

_Instead of quietly scribbling on his papers Naruto appeared to be frustrated on one spot. Every few seconds the pencil would turn upside down and erase something accompanied by a muttered curse. The blonde chewed his lip the entire time and when a small trail of blood dripped down the side of his chin Iruka decided that it was time to intervene. _

_The young man stood up from his desk and quietly moved behind the blonde child. The paper he was scribbling on looked to be a homework assignment from Kurama. It was an introduction to the more finer details that targeting an enemy required when using weapons. Something was off though… _

_The calculations the boy was using to find the answers was completely wrong. The boy's math was right but the method to find the answers were severely off track. Iruka watched with confusion as Naruto silently tapped his fingers against his palm, a gesture of counting, before writing the numbers down. He was trying to figure out from which position in the X's, obvious symbols for trees, that would be the quickest way to hit the target. Iruka tried not to laugh when he noticed the target had a pair of glasses drawn on it that looked suspiciously like Lady Kurama's glasses. _

_The problem was that Naruto was bringing the numbers to the left of the equation when he should have first divided the number and then moved it to the right instead. Iruka grimaced as yet another vial curse slipped from Naruto as the boy once more came to the wrong answer. It could easily be seen as the wrong answer because the trajectory, when putting in those coordinates, showed itself far from the target. _

_Kurama was suppose to be giving the children broad guess work to get them prepared for the foundation of trajectory training. This meant drawing accurate triangles with one point on the figure suppose to be you and the other two measured out to show the area that the kunai should land if the child's calculations were right. It was simple fast math in order to allow beginners to become accustomed to the idea of throwing a weapon with deadly accuracy that would eventually lead into reflexive memory when spotting an enemy. _

_Iruka decided to have pity on the poor academy student in front of him, who was concentrating so hard he had yet to realize his future sensei was behind him rather than in front of him, and tapped him on the shoulder. The moment his finger touched the child's shoulder he viciously flinched, the boy attempted to jump up and sideways at the same time, but his feet tangled in the awkward movement. Naruto landed on the floor in a heap before hurriedly twisting around. Startled bright blue eyes gazed into his soft brown for a moment before taking a quick peek at the desk and back again. _

"_Uh… geez… how'd you…?" Naruto muttered, softly patting his heart while looking back and forth. _

"_You weren't paying attention so it was quite easy."_

"_Um… right." _

"_Need help?" Iruka asked in an amused tone._

"_I can get up just fine." Came the snappish reply._

"_I meant with the assignment."_

"_Oh. No… not really. I got it." Naruto replied with a heavy blush. _

"_It didn't look that way to me." Iruka said quietly as he bent down to offer Naruto a hand despite his earlier words. Naruto ignored the offered hand and stood up on his own. His eyes trained on the paper. _

"_I don't need help." Naruto repeated, his voice was angry. _

_Naruto abruptly sat down without another word, putting the assignment into his bag, pointedly ignoring Iruka's confused expression for the rest of detention. _

_The next week came quickly and on the last day together before winter break Iruka asked the question that had been bugging him for a while. _

"_Naruto… why did you pull that prank on Lady Kurama? You knew she was afraid of snakes right? You don't seem like the malicious type." Iruka asked as Naruto began to pack his most recent homework assignment. _

_Naruto was quiet for several long moments and Iruka figured that the child wasn't going to answer but then Naruto swung his back pack across his shoulder and looked at Iruka. _

"_Sometimes people have to be reminded that doing mean things to others for no reason has consequences." Naruto answered. Iruka was confused. _

"_That's the exact reason you're here Naruto." _

_Blonde bangs fell loosely in front of the child's eyes._

"_Do you know what the meanest thing you can do to a person is?" Naruto asked. _

"_What?" Iruka asked tiredly. Naruto's apparent indifference to the situation was really wearing on his nerves. _

"_Pretending ta be nice. If your just mean then it's easier cause you expect them to be. It's when your not expect'in it, that's when it's really mean." Naruto answered before moving toward the door. _

"_Is that what Lady Kurama did?" Iruka asked quietly. _

_Naruto looked over his shoulder at the academy teacher before him with icy blue eyes that caused Iruka's breath to hitch in surprise. They were defiant and critical as they observed him, as if daring him to try to figure it out, while simultaneously warning him not to. _

"_Maybe… it don't matter much though. Nothing ever does, really, when you're the only one who gives a fuck." _

_Iruka couldn't argue with that logic. _

* * *

The dog had felt a painful sense of déjà vu when Naruto talked about his heart. He'd felt himself get dizzy and an image of Shizune across the table from a worn out Naruto slammed into his vision before disappearing. Guruko had given himself a good shake off before deciding that he'd think about it later… when his head didn't hurt as much.

Unfortunately for the Chuunin instructor Wednesday morning shined much sooner than he liked. Guruko couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity at the instructors mother hen behavior but for the life of him he couldn't place who it reminded him of.

The door down the hall creaked and out stepped Naruto. The blonde was wearing a pair of very worn brown pants from Iruka's own Genin days and a long sleeved, black shirt from when the man first became a Chuunin. The sleeves ran several inches past Naruto's finger tips causing the blonde to pull the sleeve up every few minutes. It was difficult to see in the dim light of the early morning sun, but Naruto was wearing his chakra crystal over the shirt today rather than under it as he normally preferred.

"Iruka we're heading out!" Naruto called.

Guruko nearly tripped over his own feet when Iruka suddenly appeared in front of them with a frying pan in one hand and a carton of milk in the other.

"You know I could just go to your apartment and get it. Maybe you should just stay here." Iruka suggested fretfully.

Naruto rolled his eyes and winked at Guruko, a mischievous glint in the young genin's eyes. Guruko blinked in surprise and looked at Naruto in confusion, not use to the casual and calm attitude the blonde displayed. Naruto sighed tiredly as if remembering something and walked over to Iruka.

"I've had my heart problem for a while, including all the time I've been a genin and in the academy, I'm not gonna kill over from your house to mine." Naruto explained patiently.

Iruka raised his right hand, along with the frying pan, towards Naruto and pointed it as if they were still in the classroom and he was lecturing a student and the pan was his ruler.

Guruko snickered at the view.

"Heart damage is a serious matter Naruto! The fact that you've been going on missions in your condition is NOT an indication that nothing will happen but a danger for it to get worse!" Iruka said in exasperation, his pan jabbing in Naruto's direction every few words.

"Even Tsunade said that the damage isn't that bad." Naruto pointed out as he tied his forehead protector around head.

"Tsunade also told you that any attack against you right now could further worsen your condition." Iruka shot back.

"Stop referring to it as 'condition.' You're making me sound like I'm on my death bed. And it will only worsen if someone attacks my heart directly. It's not like some Hyuuga's gonna come up to me and strike me in the heart on my way to my apartment." Naruto said with a rueful grin.

"Hmff." Iruka replied.

The man turned around and reentered his kitchen area, placing the pan and milk on the counter, before calling out once more.

"Just make sure your back in half an hour. I'm making French toast!"

"Thanks Iruka. I'll be back soon." Naruto answered with a small smile on his face.

"_Nothing will happen. I'll bite any Hyuuga's that comes close." _Guruko cackled out as he followed Naruto out the door.

"Damn dog is just as irritating as Kakashi." Iruka muttered to himself as he measured the milk.

* * *

Guruko wasn't sure what seemed different about Naruto today, but if he was forced to place it in words he would describe him as… more put together?

Yes that was it.

The last week or so Naruto had been tense and every thing he did was with a strained smile and foreboding air that had the dog on edge. When the paint attack hit Naruto Guruko nearly had a heart attack and almost bit a few of the bystanders in his way. To see Naruto body-flickered off with a Jounin he did not recognize also sent the dog into a fit of panic. It was like the shadows Naruto had been jumping at all week had suddenly been made real.

Getting to the academy where Naruto's smell led to was an immense relief, but the dull blue eyes looking blankly ahead as Iruka led Naruto to his home had been unwelcome and frightening. Truth be told Guruko had been somewhat relieved to hear Naruto tell Iruka about the heart operation. Not because he believed the heart damage to be inconsequential, but to finally know what it was that had been bothering him all week. It had been maddening to see Naruto so nerve racked without knowing the reason why. Like one of the cats he preyed upon in his free time, the cats knew he was their (damn their sixth sense), but didn't know from what direction.

Today he was different.

He was playful and care free and just all around better off than before. It seemed that just being with Iruka had made all of his tension go away. This Naruto was… much more enjoyable to be around. He wasn't being idiotic, merely happy, nor was he in a scarily quiet mood.

"Hey Guruko?" Naruto called as they walked toward his apartment.

"_Yes?" _

"How'd Kaka sensei get the dog summoning contract?"

Guruko nearly stumbled over his front paws in surprise.

"_A bit left field isn't that?" _Guruko replied instead.

"Mm… I was just thinking that it seemed kinda weird for him to have it. It seems more like something the Inuzukas would have." Naruto elaborated. Guruko quirked one furry eyebrow, but simply complied.

"_The Hatakes have always had the Dog summoning contract. The head of the Inuzuka clan possesses the Wolf summoning contract. Just as you and Jeraiya possess the Toad Summoning contract there is also a Frog summoning contract, though that is in a completely different village."_ Guruko explained.

Naruto slowly shook his head in understanding, but there was still some confusion shadowing his face.

"But aren't you part wolf Guruko? How can Kaka sensei summon you then?"

Guruko let out a barking laugh.

"_I am part Akita, half, not wolf." _Guruko stated proudly. Naruto blinked.

"In the fire country? I thought Akita's were more prone to cold areas, like the old Land of Snow." Naruto said thoughtfully.

"_I said half Akita, my fur isn't nearly as thick as a full bloods." _Guruko said as way of explanation. _"Why are you so interested in this stuff though?"_ The dog pressed again.

Naruto squirmed under the dog's scrutiny.

"There was something that was bothering me… but it was really shallow." Naruto admitted. The blonde began to chew on his lip while watching the clouds floating by up above.

"_Everyone deserves a shallow thought every once in a while. Its those who don't recognize that they've had a shallow thought that tend to repeat the action over and over again." _Guruko said wisely.

"Where'd you get that? A fortune cookie?" Naruto teased. Guruko pouted.

"_I heard Shikaku say it to his wife once." _Guruko mumbled. Naruto laughed. _"So, what was this shallow thought anyway? You can't just leave it at that."_ The dog nudged.

Naruto sighed and stretched his arms up into the sky before bringing them behind his head to rest.

"I guess… I was just thinking. Kaka sensei's going to have Sasuke sign the dog summoning contract right? Sasuke showed the most potential for tracking after all and…" Naruto trailed off.

Guruko frowned.

Kakashi had in fact talked to them about it once shortly after the Chuunin Exams ended. The gray haired man had asked them what they thought of the idea and for the most part the pack had seemed happy about the prospect of training with one of Kakashi's students. Now though… Guruko felt a twinge of something he didn't recognize. He couldn't understand why it was there. Sasuke was a good kid with skills and intelligence to match his teacher and a latent potential for tracking. Sasuke would make for great trainee summoner.

"_Kakashi has not approached Sasuke with the offer, but that is his intention." _Guruko answered. Naruto's face fell into a frown, but the blonde just grimaced before giving the dog walking beside him a grin.

"Thought so. So Sasuke has Sakura, Kakashi and yo… the dog summons. Sasuke inherited the Chidori from Kaka sensei and Sakura inherited his taijutsu style. I didn't get anything. Hehehehe."

"_Kakashi has taught all three of you a lot." _Guruko said, disgruntled.

"Yeah… he has. I told you it was shallow." Naruto said meekly as they continued on.

"_You are the one whose choosing to leave the team." _Guruko pointed out. _"I'm sure that if you stay then Kakashi will eventually hand down something to you." _The dog amended. Naruto had warned him it was shallow, it was just… that it was about one of _his _pack mates.

Naruto patted the dog's head affectionately.

"Actually. Kaka sensei did teach me a lot about… comradeship and friendship. I don't think I'll ever forget the lessons he taught me in that. Besides lightning is totally Sasuke's style and Sakura was the perfect chose for his taijutsu and… what would I know about taking care of animals, right?" Naruto asked teasingly.

They both stopped when they stood in front of Naruto's door. Naruto puffed out his cheeks in annoyance as he dug into the pocket of Iruka's borrowed pants to find his keys. Guruko's sharp ears picked up the sound of a jingle as keys shifted in the left pocket. Naruto held the knob and put the key in only to stare in confusion as he twisted metal into metal.

"It's already unlocked." Naruto whispered.

Naruto swiftly bent down and clipped the kunai off of it's hostler beneath his left pant leg.

His breathing slowed to deep even breaths. Guruko went on edge immediately.

A fact that many people didn't know about Naruto Uzumaki would be that he is excessively paranoid. He never leaves his apartment unlocked. Checks the windows while watering his plants to make sure there locked and secure. Has a seal on the inside by the knob to tell him if anyone attempted to force their way into his home. The one time Naruto forgot to close the window when he followed the blonde to the bar had left Jinchuuriki double checking everything for the next week.

Guruko had noticed this flaw before having his memories taken from him, but in his current condition was left wondering why Naruto suddenly seemed to have reverted back to the depressed, tense individual of the past week. The dog bent low and kept quiet as Naruto cautiously pushed the door open all the way. Guruko stiffened. Above him his companion visibly frowned and narrowed icy blue eyes. Guruko sniffed the air, the smell of oak wood and fine brandy filled the air, it was strangely familiar.

Naruto's hand gingerly reached out and flipped the light switch beside the door. The room was flooded with light. Guruko let out a low growl. Naruto simply moved in slowly taking everything in. The table was overturned. All the cabinets were wide open and the dishes toppled over and broken. Guruko watched as Naruto's eyes moved to the seal by the knob.

Blue eyes widened in horror.

No one forced their way in. The seal still shimmered blue.

Guruko watched as Naruto whirled around, all caution seemingly gone, and flew toward his bedroom door. The torn curtain that use to make up the door was hazardly ripped out of the way as the blonde disappeared. Guruko followed. From the room beyond Guruko heard a heartrenching scream followed by a thud.

The dog burst forth through the doorway intent on attacking the intruder only to come to an abrupt stopped. Naruto was the only one in the room. The blonde had fallen to his knees and legs spread out wide on either side of him as he stared at a gapping hole in the floor. A large plank sat broken in two on either side of the hole. Guruko cautiously approached the blonde, whose back was to him, unmoving.

"_Naruto?" _Guruko whispered.

The room was trashed. Books and scrolls thrown about, the dresser knocked over and feathers from several pillows floating around the room. The bed had been moved several feet and the blonde's poster of the leafs symbol had been torn down. All the potted plants in the room lay broken and dying, dirt spread generously across the floor.

Yet no windows were broken.

No sign of forced entry.

"_Naruto?" _Guruko tried again, moving around the blonde.

Naruto's face was eerily blank, lips slightly parted, hands at his sides with a visible tremor. Guruko was familiar with this state. Human's often went into a state of frozen nature when they've suddenly and drastically been overwhelmed by emotions. Kakashi called it shock. When the copy cat would come upon a person in this state, depending on if they were both out of danger for the moment, he would gently move them away from the scene and talk softly.

Guruko gently nudged Naruto, confused by the boy's reaction.

"_What's wrong Naruto?" _Guruko asked.

Naruto just stared down at the hole in the floor. His eyes moved back and forth, from one end of the rather small hole to the other end as if, if he looked hard enough the thing he looked for would reappear.

"It's gone." Naruto whispered in stunned horror.

"_What's gone?" _Guruko asked.

"My money… everything's gone now… of my hard work. All my effort… Three years… it will… I can't… this mea… wh… happening… not…" Naruto began babbling incoherently.

Guruko attempted several times to snap the blonde out of it but nothing was working. Barking and licking his face did nothing. Trying to calm him down through talking was beyond meaningless. Nudging and pulling was useless.

Should he try to go get someone? What if who ever did this came back though?

"Oh God… oh fuck. …" Naruto's voice abruptly brought him out of his thoughts as it rose in volume.

Out of shock and into hysterics.

"FUCK. FUCK. FUCK. I AM SO FUCKED! OH GOD, I CAN'T! I WON'T!" Naruto's loud voice rang out.

Guruko snarled viciously before letting out a terrifying growl.

Naruto immediately fell quiet and stared at the dog in bewilderment as if just realizing that there was someone there besides himself.

"_I know your better than this Naruto! Now calm down and tell me what the problem is so that we can go about fixing it!" _Guruko demanded.

Naruto was still trembling but he at least began to take deep calming breaths and no longer yelling. Guruko watched as Naruto began twisting the front of Iruka's shirt in an attempt to release some of the bent up tension but the strategy didn't seem to be working very well because the blonde still looked on the verge of a breakdown.

Naruto suddenly stood strait up off the ground. Looking around dazedly whilst his hands still clutched his shirt tightly.

"Guruko… can you please go inform Granny Tsunade about this?" Naruto asked quietly.

Guruko nodded hurriedly but kept his eyes on the blonde wearily.

"_Why don't you do it?" _Guruko asked.

"I need… I need to go let out some steam. I'm go… going to go train." Naruto explained distractedly.

"_Your not suppose to be doing that kind of stuff until after your surgery." _Guruko pointed out. _"And besides that Iruka is going to be really worried about you." _The dog added.

Naruto merely nodded before walking out the door. Far too gone to listen much less argue. Guruko heaved a giant sigh before quietly obeying. He wouldn't get anything out of the blonde right now anyway. He'd question him again when he got back from the tower.

* * *

Guruko made his way to training ground 13 where Naruto's smell was leading him to. It had taken two hours to explain the situation to Tsunade who had been raving mad at the break in. She sent out Izumo and Kotetsu immediately to investigate and forced Guruko to explain the whole thing to her twice.

So now here he was making his way to Naruto, who by the way, didn't even bother to come help him explain a break in to the blondes own apartment! The dog sighed heavily. It was to be expected he supposed. The Jinchuuriki had been quite hit by the trashed apartment and what ever the robbers had taken.

"Ahhhhhh," Guruko heard Naruto's voice call out from one of the training grounds clearings.

The sound of a large bang resounded through the forest as Guruko picked up his speed and birds scattered from the trees. The dog leaped into the clearing to find Naruto barely standing. The trees surrounding them were emblazoned with spiral marks while others simply had junks missing.

Naruto himself was covered from head to toe in scrapes and dirt as the blonde held his left hand in front of him. Chakra began to spin in the palm of the blondes hand before a half formed rasengan took shape. Naruto sprang forth at the closest tree with a vicious glee.

"Rrraaaahhh," Naruto screamed as he slammed his palm into the tree again.

A huge chunk came loose and spun off, slicing a thin cut along Naruto's neck before it plunked against the ground. It wasn't perfect though, the hole the chunk came from was small and rough, the damage from a fully formed rasengan would have done a lot more damage and with far more refined shape.

Guruko knew and had seen Naruto practicing the one handed rasengan for the last three weeks, but it had never been this intense or ruthless in execution. Naruto staggered back from the attempt. Angry, icy blue eyes stared at the product of his work in dissatisfaction. Guruko shuffled from paw to paw. He wasn't sure he wanted to interrupt Naruto at THAT particular moment.

Again and again Naruto formed half shaped rasengans and slammed them into the surrounding trees. The anger radiated off Guruko's young friend as if he were on fire. Killing intent filled the clearing to the point that Guruko found it difficult to breath.

_'There was another time wasn't there? More times that this has occurred than just today…' _Guruko thought fuzzily.

This anger wasn't just formed from the break in… it was deeper. Guruko wasn't sure how he could sense this but suddenly he knew with absolute certainty that it was true. A dull thud began to beat against his skull. An image formed of Naruto throwing kunai with great force against trees. Anger, resentment and frustration fueling every throw. Guruko tried to remember why the blonde had been so angry but the reason seemed to be slipping away…

With another one of Naruto's anger filled screams the thought and bleary memory was gone. Guruko blinked sluggishly before gazing at Naruto again. Naruto once more staggered to his feet, his body quivered with the strain, but a fierce anger and hurt urged the body up again. Guruko wished desperately that he could help, but for the life of him he didn't know what was wrong. Surely whatever was stolen couldn't have been THAT important.

Guruko winced as sharp, wooden splinters entered Naruto's hand as the rasengan struck against the newest innocent tree. Naruto must not have been concentrating right because a large spiral had been formed rather than a chunk being taken out. Naruto let out a frustrated feral growl of frustration. More splinters. More chunks. More yells and screams echoing in the empty forest area. It didn't seem as if Naruto's anger possessed an end.

Naruto's breaths came out ragged as he straitened again. Guruko whined, but stayed still. The young genin looked as if he would lash out at anyone stupid enough to interfere. Naruto once more held his hand out and closed his eyes in deep concentration. Chakra swirled faster and faster, twirling in all directions until a near perfect ball formed. Naruto opened his eyes and charged headlong toward a dilapidated tree.

"Raaahh," came the scream once more.

The ball pierced the tree as if it were made out of Jell-O, but rather than pass through it fully as a perfect rasengan would it only sank halfway through. Splinters entered Naruto's skin mercilessly as they flew from the trunk but Guruko didn't think that Naruto even noticed. The large tree swayed backwards and for a moment it seemed as if the thing would break that way but at the last moment it swayed forwards and snapped.

Naruto staggered backwards attempting to move out of it's way, but he tripped over one of the wood chunks he'd made earlier and fell on his butt. The hand that performed the nearly perfect rasengan smoking from chakra burns. Guruko felt his pulse race as the shadow of the falling tree fell directly across Naruto's worn out face. Yet strangely there wasn't any fear played out on his features, just surprise, as the thing came tumbling down.

Guruko dashed forward. The dog bit down on Naruto's closest hand and dragged him into the earth just as the trunk slammed to the forest floor. Moments passed in the wooded area without any further disturbance before the sound of leaves crumbling filled the space. Several feet away a dog's nose materialized out of the ground and sniffed the air. Satisfied an entire head formed with a slightly bloody hand in it's mouth. Guruko pulled himself fully out of the ground before tugging a sputtering and gasping Naruto along with him.

The entire Hatake dog pack were earth element summons just as the toads were water and weasels wind. They could travel just as easily beneath the ground as they could above. It was how they caught Zabuza at the last second without the Mist Jounin knowing about their approach and it was now how he'd managed to save Naruto's life.

"Thanks." Naruto croaked out.

Then Naruto did the unthinkable. He stood up, staggering a bit, before attempting to perform the rasengan again.

"_Naruto! What do you think your doing?" _Guruko growled out.

The dog tugged hard on Naruto's pant leg, but the human pulled away from him. Guruko growled at the boy. He was astounded really… Naruto's hands were a bloody. The boy's body was covered from head to toe in sweat. There were numerous tares in Iruka's old clothes where wooden debris skimmed harshly across tanned flesh. It really did surprise Guruko that Naruto was still standing.

Naruto wavered on his feet before taking a large breath and thrusting his palm out in front of him. Chakra swirled like a tiny tornado in the boy's palm before dying away. Naruto grunted in anger before attempting again and then again until his legs gave out on him and he was kneeling on the ground. Anger still leaked out though, even though the blonde was grounded he was not even slightly ready to give up.

"_Out of Chakra?" _Guruko asked with a smirk.

Finally it was over. Naruto would have to stop at this point and take a break. At least until his chakra regained itself. Naruto didn't seem nearly as happy about the lack of chakra as Guruko did. The blonde glared down at his palm venomously. Guruko watched Naruto weightily.

The blonde placed his hands on the ground and pushed himself up unsteadily. Wobbling to his feet Naruto took heavy breaths before he moved in front of one of the trees and settled into the basic academy taijutsu form. Without further prompting he swung his left leg out and into a mid-level kick aimed for a person's ribcage. It was swung with such ferociousness that Guruko was almost afraid that Naruto broke his leg with the resounding thud that echoed through the forest.

"_Naruto this is ridiculous!"_

'Wack.'

"_Your going to serious injure yourself this way!"_

'Wack.'

"_Training when your this angry is very dangerous Naruto!"_

'Wack.'

"_Your chakra level's are dangerously low!" _

'Wack.'

"_Your exhausted!"_

'Wack.'

"_Your injured as well."_

'Wack.'

"_God dammit Naruto if you don't stop training this instant I WILL bite you and drag you to Iruka's!" _

Naruto refused to reply to him. Instead he continued to slam his leg against the tree's trunk.

'_I warned him.' _Guruko thought as he moved closer.

The dog paused and his neck stiffened as a distinct smell entered his nose. Spandex. Medicine balls. Turtles. Leaves appeared to birth forth from out of no where in a vortex. Guruko noticed that Naruto had yet to realize what was going on due to how focused he was on decimating the tree in front of him. A part of the dog shuddered, but another part was grateful.

_He _would be able to handle the blonde.

"Hello my youthful young friends! What brings you to my training grounds this fine late morning?" Gai demanded in his normally cheerful voice.

The exuberant man scanned the areafor the first time and exhaled softly. His eyes narrowed as he took in Naruto's heavily battered form. Whether Naruto noticed Gai's presence or not Guruko wasn't sure because the young Jinchuuriki didn't so much as falter in his brutal kicks against the tree. Gai walked over slowly, going around until he was looking Naruto directly in the face, before the man's own face became stern.

Guruko mentally sighed in relief. Gai would handle this. The man was very good with handling emotional kids. That said it was yet another thing that Gai and his Kakashi were opposing forces for. Kakashi sucked ass at handling his own emotions much less his three charges.

Naruto staggered back again before stepping forward and attempting another kick. Naruto's leg never made contact with wood though because Gai's hand held it firmly yet gently still. So caught off guard was the blonde from the sudden appearance and stopping in motion that Naruto lost what little balance he had left and fell hard back onto his butt. Gai carefully set his leg down even as Naruto painfully twisted his body so that he was facing the ground on all fours rather than sitting on his butt.

"Don't you believe that is more than enough Naruto-kun?" Gai asked lightly.

Naruto stiffened at the honorific before shaking his head. Guruko trotted up to Naruto and licked his heaving frame. Each breath seemed to be a struggle. Sweat slid down the boy's face before dripping to the dirt floor below.

"Cough. Cough. Cough." Naruto hacked as he tried to catch his breath.

Gai bent down and patted Naruto's back but the man's big hands were pushed aside as Naruto tried to stand again.

"That's enough Naruto." Gai stated sternly. "It's one thing to train and another to kill yourself."

Naruto wouldn't listen though. His whole body trembling Naruto stumbled to his feet. Guruko whined, tugging on Naruto's pant legs, but was roughly pulled away from. Gai also stood. The man's face was stony. All cheer and foolishness gone. Gai moved forward and placed a firm hand on Naruto's shoulder, stopping the boy in his tracks. Naruto tried to shift out of it, away from Gai, but the man's grip remained steady.

"Get your hand off of me." Naruto gritted out without looking up.

Guruko could tell that Gai heard the anger and frustration in Naruto's voice because the man's body tensed slightly. Gai moved in front of Naruto, never allowing his hand to lift from the blondes shoulders, to kneel directly in front of the boy.

"Do you want to tell me what's wrong Naruto? Taking out anger on your body can be a very dangerous outlet even if it does make you feel better." Gai asked softly.

"Let go of me." Naruto demanded through grit teeth.

Grim faced Gai silently shook his head no.

Naruto struggled against Gai's hold then. Tugging. Pulling. Twisting. At one point he even attempted to smash his forehead into Gai's but the man held firm until Naruto let out a scream of frustration and crumbled to the ground with knees spread out before him. For a long moment only Naruto's heavy, ragged breathing filled the air before Gai spoke.

"I think I'm gong to take you to the hospital so that they can treat you for these injuries." Gai informed the two of them solemnly.

Naruto froze and for a long moment the boy didn't take in a single breath. An almost silent exhale tumbled from the blondes mouth and with it Naruto's body fell forward. Gai moved in immediately, worried that Naruto was in more medical need than he'd anticipated, before jumping back with a shocked curse.

Naruto staggered to his feet, the remains of the sand he'd thrown into Gai's eyes falling through his fingertips even as he took off toward the village. Guruko took several seconds to comprehend what just happened before he took after the blonde. Gai furiously wiped at his eyes before his body blurred into motion.

The green jumpsuit wearing man reappeared in front Naruto. The blonde, his head turned where Gai once was, careened strait into the man. Naruto fell to the ground in a heap, hands scraping for more dirt, but Gai wouldn't allow himself to fall for the same trick twice.

Gai pinned Naruto's arms to the ground as gently as he could. Guruko raced up to the pair watching as Gai peered carefully at Naruto with a searching look.

"LET GO OF ME!" Naruto screamed up at them.

Naruto fought tiredly, but it was obvious that he was losing the last bit of adrenalin powered strength he had left. Gai gave Guruko a pointed look, demanding to know what the hell was going on, and being one of Kakashi's long time friends Guruko knew Gai was trustworthy enough to know.

"_Naruto's home was broken into and pretty much everything destroyed. He came out here to let out some steam." _Guruko answered, though truthfully he believed that it was something deeper, something to do with whatever the robber stole.

Gai's eyes saddened as he nodded in understanding before looking at Naruto.

"Please," Naruto begged and something in his voice scared both Guruko and Gai, "please don't touch me. Just… please let go of me."

Guruko felt something stir inside of him. The dull thud returned, but quickly turned into a drumbeat against his skull.

Gai tried smiling at the blonde reassuringly.

"I need to take you to the hospital Naruto. If not for your chakra burns and cuts then for your shock induced hysteria." Gai spoke patiently.

Another quality Kakashi didn't possess Guruko noted with amusement. The dog tried to focus further on the conversation through his headache but it was growing increasingly difficult. An unexpected spike in chakra fixed that problem quickly enough. A huge wave of red chakra slammed into man and dog sending them both backwards through the forest.

Guruko landed harshly against the ground, the breath temporarily taken from him, while Gai was not so lucky. The man ended up striking his head against the tree and though he was not out for the count it would be a number of minutes before he was travel capable.

Naruto stood up. His body no longer trembled and an eerie red glow cast itself from blood red eyes. Naruto took off, body moving in spades rather than paces. Guruko allowed himself a few precious moments to recover before picking up the trail and following the blonde at… an admittedly much more sedated pace due to the floor moving up and down on him.

* * *

"_What do you want Syne?" _

"_There are some people that I owe and a certain payment need's to be given."_

"_What does that have to do with me?"_

"_You haven't paid your rent yet this month Naruto."_

"_I get my check tomorrow I'll have it for you."_

"_Not good enough. I think you need to be punished for being so high and mighty with me lately."_

_The man came out of no where. A large, sweaty hand clamping down around his mouth as she watched in silent glee._

"_Tight little slut 'ain't he?"_

"_Ahhh… he's terrified."_

"_Bet he's enjoying this more than we are!"_

_They were touching him everywhere. He screamed. Bit every finger that came near his mouth. Kicked every inch of skin he could reach. Punched every face he saw. Blood flowed on top of him. He'd broken one of their noses. They were angry. He felt triumphant until his mouth was forced open and something caused him to gag. Turned over. Puked. White stuff? More vomit. _

_Skin on skin. Rough. Relentless. Merciless. Sharp unbearable pain. Another scream but his this time. A Hand squeezed his face harshly. _

"_Little tramp want some money?" _

_Paper was shoved into his mouth. He choked. Deep laughter. _

"_Can't be called a male anymore can ya?"_

"_I say he's more of a hussy."_

"_Na, na, more like a hooker."_

"_More sophisticated than that lads! A Lady of the Even'in!" _

Naruto clamped his hands over his ears as he ran trying to block out the memories.

The horrible things wouldn't go away!

His legs felt heavy and his chest felt as if his heart wanted to wrench itself from it's vein-like bounds and burst out of his chest. He felt hot tears fall down his cheeks, but paid them no mind. He needed to get far, far away.

Far from Gai who wanted to take him to the hospital.

Far from Guruko who seemed intent on making everything difficult.

Far from Sasuke who thought he was better than him and was right.

Far from Sakura who hated him even though all he'd ever tried to do was be her friend.

Far from the Konohamaru Corps because they were the only one's that ever accepted him absolutely without a thought. Because they didn't know about any of his past and if they did they wouldn't want anything to do with him anymore. Even the thought of their small faces lit up in disgust at him was painful.

Far from Shikamaru and Chouji and their stupid idea that he wanted to be real but knew it wasn't. Just another tease.

Far from Iruka who cared too much about a dirty, worthless monster like him.

Far from Shizune and Tsunade because they were too close to knowing what had been done to him. What he'd allowed cause he wasn't strong enough. Because he didn't fight hard enough.

Far from Jeraiya because now he wouldn't be able to leave with him anymore without the money and it hurt so bad to know that.

Far from Kakashi because once again when he really needed his sensei he wasn't there to help him. Because there was always things that were much more important than helping him and they both knew it. And how horrible he felt for being so unbelievably angry with the man at the same time because, God damn him, he had placed so much hope in his sensei.

Far from every last one of them because the thought of any of them knowing that he was a slut was too unbearable to think about. They all already thought he was a nuisance. A loud, brash idiot who couldn't do anything right. He couldn't bear the thought of losing every shred of pride and dignity he had left. He couldn't do it. He wasn't strong enough to handle it.

So he ran.

Head downcast and blazing red eyes squinted so small they looked closed so that the villagers couldn't see them. His fingers were curled up over his ears so that the claws were hidden from sight. He ran without any direction or hope. He desperately wished that he could turn back time and make it all go away. If he had a second chance he would have chosen to die on the snow covered floors of home.

When Naruto finally collapsed he was not at all surprised by the place he'd just moments before been thinking of. Funny how Naruto didn't remember going up any stairs. Snow did not just yet cover the planks within the old crumbling building. Winter was almost there, but still not quite. As Kyuubi's chakra faded from his chakra coils Naruto crawled into one room in particular and curled up in the corner.

Naruto breathed in deeply. The smell of rotting wood and mold unpleasant but somehow calming to the blonde. He was so tired. He could just sleep here forever without a care in the world. No demon sealed inside who would enjoy feasting on his bone marrow. No organization of dangerous criminals attempting to murder him. No Sasuke who liked to use people as punching bags. No Jeraiya to push him off cliffs or Tsunade to steal his money. No Fuji with a jealousy complex who likes to randomly hurt him. No wars or death or peace or life. Simple existence in it's most basic form. And especially no Syne.

Footsteps.

Had Gai found him already? He'd thought he'd had at least twenty minutes.

No… not Gai. They were lighter. Much lighter. Naruto groaned. He didn't WANT to get up. He wanted to just lie there for eternity and wait for the residence to come back. Naruto, with a great deal of effort on his part, pushed himself into a seated position.

"I knew you would come here." Cold anger.

The person leans against the door.

"Why were you looking for me in the first place?" Naruto asked quietly.

Straitening he unsteadily shuffled to his feet. First on all fours then on two.

"I'm going to kill you." Stated as a fact rather than an idea.

"Hardly seems fair. Can I ask why?" Naruto asks as he lightly tugs on Kyuubi's chakra.

"He's gone. Left me for some bitch and sold the apartment building. Next month when rent time comes and I can't supply a home the contract will break." The woman admits.

The anger that radiates off her is icy cold. Perhaps, at some point in their strange 'relationship' she'd taught it to him.

Naruto lets out a deep bitter laughter that the light brown eyed woman bristles at.

"Well I've got even more great news! I almost had enough money to break the contract with you, but it's all gone now. There's nothing left and I'd be willing to bet anything it was him. You'll never get your money and now your all alone. Just like me." Naruto bites off the last words in angry satisfaction.

Syne's silky black hair falls from behind her ears as the woman glares furiously at him.

"I'm nothing like you! You worthless piece of shit!" Syne hisses out.

Naruto just shakes his head at her as if he's speaking to a small child that never had simple things explained to them before.

In a way he was. Syne had been a terrifying woman even in youth. She was unapproachable yet at the same time no one could deny her anything for fear of her wrath. In her self-made isolation she lost the ability to feel empathy and thus in the same way she cannot see how others feel she can also not understand how others view her. It is then the unfortunate case that her view of life itself is as distorted as she is twisted.

"Did you ever consider that maybe your 'loving' husband offered you that proposal because he wanted an excuse to fuck as many woman at the local whore house as possible?" Naruto suggests lightly, eyes twinkling in mischief.

Three years she's done nothing but hurt and manipulate him and now that there was no hope for escape Naruto was finally free to say everything to her that he's ever wanted. Naruto used the wall behind him to brace his tired body even as Syne's killing intent fills the room. Chilling with a tinge of madness. She reminds him of his encounter with Orochimaru.

"Earth Style Harpe's claw!" Syne screeches out in rage.

The woman's hands blurred through hands signs, as to be expected from an anbu captain, unleashing the jutsu in the blink of an eye.

Naruto tried to dodge, but the earth claw that materialized from the wall smashed into him before he could leap away and threw him out of the room and against the hall's wall. Naruto felt his head and spine burst with a blinding pain even as he landed roughly on rotting wood. The boards groaned under the sudden thud of weight on top of them.

Syne loomed over him with a menacing scowl.

"You don't know anything about him you fat fucking slut! You shut your mouth right now!" The woman screamed before smashing her boot down against Naruto's mouth.

Naruto's scream of pain was muffled.

Syne pushed down harder, the floorboards creaking under the pressure as Naruto pushed uselessly against her foot. As Naruto felt his panic grow blue eyes bleed into red. Red chakra simmered to life before colliding with the woman above him. Syne let out a shriek of surprise and anger as she was flung backwards and skidded across the harsh broken wood beneath her.

Naruto lurched to his feet spitting out blood. Gingerly he touched his ripped up and swelling lips and winced as his fingers felt the beaten flesh. Disgust rose up in him as the taste of dirt and grains swiveled in his mouth from the boot there moments ago. He spit again and looked towards Syne. The woman was already getting up again. Naruto's felt his own anger rise. He wouldn't let her treat him like trash again.

"I know enough about him. Fuji is a greedy man Syne. Just like you. He didn't like that you wanted me more than him. He didn't want to be second best. He wanted to fuck the women and then come home to you. He had a chance to grab a shit load of money, a chance to be with a woman more attractive than you who found him attractive, and he took it. Your just the trash he left behind." Naruto pronounced loudly.

Syne snarled as she brushed back her hair and moved her hands into the beginning of a seal.

"Trash… You're the one who slept in the streets before I found you. You're the one who had to scrounge around for food like the filthy animal you are. I saved you and gave you a home. If anyone's the trash around here it's you. I'm better than you in every way." Syne declared in a near hysterical voice.

Her hands finished the last hand sign. Earth began to rise up from the cracks in the wood and formed a wall that hid Syne from view.

"Earth Style! Moving wall!" Syne screamed.

Naruto's eyes widened as the entire earth wall suddenly catapulted in his direction. He threw his head back and screamed, throwing kyuubi's chakra in front of him as a shield, against the oncoming boulder. The red chakra slammed against heavy rock, slowing the monstrosity down and cracking it to pieces, but the pressure of air caused by the catapulted rock still crashed into Naruto with enough force to send him sprawling into the main room.

Naruto rolled with the hit and came up in a low crouch. Red eyes glowing ominously in the large, shadowed room. Naruto moved quickly, his tired muscles fueled by demonic chakra, and hid behind one of the many huge pillars holding the third floor up. His eyes roamed the back part of the room he'd landed in. He knew, from what the Third told him, that this room use to host parties for a great many important diplomat's during it's time. Including the Uzumaki clan.

Naruto placed his hands into a hand sign and whispered softly as the sound of footsteps echoed in the air. Syne walked through the doors opening while casually wiping away a trail of blood from her cheek where she landed from the chakra wave.

"Come out, come out from where ever you are…" Syne trilled lazily.

"You manipulated me into a blood contract I couldn't break because I was young, scared and defenseless." Naruto's voice echoed around her.

Syne turned to the left, where she could tell the echo originated from, and smiled sweetly.

"The offer was a choice. You could have easily not come to me." Syne answered, hands falling into a seal in front of her.

"The choice was you or death. You raped me and beat me for your own pleasure and enjoyed my pain. And you think of yourself as a good patriot because even though you put me through hell I was still alive? You call me a demon because of Kyuubi, but don't fool yourself, you're the real monster." Naruto told her in a surprisingly steady voice.

Her grin only widened as she finished her seals.

"Earth style! Wraps." Syne whispered.

A surprised yelp echoed in the empty ballroom. Syne walked slowly over to the pillar and around it. Ropes made of dirt and held by chakra bound his hands and legs to the rotting floor. A new gaping hole lay directly in front of him from where she'd dragged and forced the earth up from three stories below. Let it never be said that she was a weak kunoichi. Her smile grew into full blown laughter.

"Hahahahaha… You still think your human don't you? How pathetic. You have a demon breathing under your skin that lusts for blood. Even if at one point the sacrifice to seal the monster away was human it is no longer true. You are nothing but a jail cell that the demon vents itself through." Syne informed her young blonde victim.

Naruto struggled for a moment before pausing and looking up into Syne's cold brown eyes with his own icy blue.

"You know something? I've known you for quite a few years now and I gotta say you've been losing it more and more as time goes on. You just keep getting more psychotic and fucked up. It's no wonder you're husband left you. I honestly don't know how he's been able to stand you up till now." Naruto told the woman above him with a grin just before going up in smoke.

"Shadow clone?" Syne hissed angrily.

The woman twisted around, eyes darting from side to side, even as the dirt fell to nothing behind her.

"What's wrong Syne? Don't wanna hear the truth? Losing your temper?" Naruto's voice whispered from several different directions.

Red eyes flashed in the darkness from pillar to pillar as Syne's fury continued to rise.

"When our contract first began you were nothing, but a hopeless little creature that yearned for any kind of affection. You were pathetic." Syne yelled out.

Syne charged towards a movement in the shadows and gripped a clone by the throat. Lifting it a foot into the air she viciously slammed it against one of the pillars. It dissipated in a cloud of smoke.

"You leaned into my touch and ate up the attention like you do everything else. A chubby little whore that would have done anything for someone to give you even the littlest attention. You enjoyed our time together." Syne yelled out as she moved further into the room.

"Your right. No one had ever 'wanted' to touch me before you. No one hugged me or held me when I cried. I never sat in anyone's lap like the other children. Old man Hokage was the only person who didn't flinch when I came near, but he's the leader of a village and didn't have any time to spend with me." Naruto's voice drifted from Syne's right.

"I was terrified of you. I hated you, but at the same time you were also the closes thing I had to a mother. You were the closes thing I had to family. But that being said it only shows how utterly pathetic and alone I was. More than that though it shows how desperate and fucked up you were to take advantage of me." Naruto's voice drifted from Syne's left and up further into the room.

"Face it. You and Fuji didn't get bored having sex it was just him. He didn't want to fuck you anymore. And that's all it ever was. He never loved you and that's what messed you up. It wasn't the missions that did it, it was coming home to someone that didn't give a fuck about you." Naruto's emotionless voice whispered out from behind her.

Syne snarled.

"I'm tired of this game. This ends now." Syne breathed out as her hands weaved almost elegantly from one hand seal to the next. "Water Style! Flood gate." Syne whispered as she breathed in the condensation from the very air.

As Syne breathed out a flood of water spewed out sending two feet of water to vacate every inch of the rotting ballrooms floor. Syne hurriedly moved into the next series of hand seals as to make use of the water before it all leaked out of cracks and holes. Naruto's voice once more drifted to her from all around.

"So you decided to take out all your frustrations on someone who was worse off than you. You wanted me to feel worse than you, more worthless than you, because it made you feel better."

She finished the last hand seal. She'd wipe out every one of those voices.

"Your so messed up that just going out and having sex with a man wasn't good enough for you. No… you wanted to feel superior. You wanted someone who was hurting and alone so that you could control them. Every aspect of them." Naruto's voice drifted from twelve different places.

"Earth Style! Mud sea serpents." Syne called out.

The water sloshed violently once before turning to muddy brown goo. Serpents heads raised out of the mud to hiss and scurry in the brown depths. Syne grinned from directly in the middle of her beautiful creatures. The sound of popping could be heard as her serpents sought and destroyed each of her prey.

"Ahhhh…" A scream of pain sounded from near the window.

Syne chuckled.

"So that was your plan. Distract me and make your way to the window. Smart." Syne admitted.

Naruto breathed out through his nose as he tried to ignore the large serpent whose rock like teeth were sunk into his side. Blood leaked heavily through Iruka's brown shirt making a blotch of maroon appear. The brown serpent was wand tightly around his left leg and waste. He stood balancing atop the mud with chakra in an effort to not make noise. Naruto cursed the rusted lock that had stalled him enough for the serpent to get him.

Syne walked toward Naruto clucking her tongue against the front of her teeth in disapproval.

"You think you know me so well yet after all these years you still believe you had a chance to get away from me?" Syne asked incredulously.

Naruto paled as Syne moved her hands into the tiger seal and whispered softly an activation key.

"Ne sey Rye me Ja gan tey. I still want to have some fun before I kill you. Then I'll hunt down my dear Fuji and that bitch of his and teach them a lesson as well." Syne explained.

Naruto screamed in pain as the torture seal over his heart was activated. If it weren't for the serpent curled around his leg holding him in place he would have most likely fallen to his knees. His body temperature spiked as his chakra began to bend to Syne's will.

Naruto gasped, clutching the place over his heart and pressed his hand against the glass behind him to brace himself. He paused though, when he felt the old glass strain under the small pressure, and tried to calm himself.

Syne continued toward him, oblivious to what he was thinking, her eyes roaming the ballroom's old yet touchingly beautiful walls. The walls were covered from head to toe in artwork and though still a marvel to look at they had long since begun to fade and chip away. Only the few strands of sunlight illuminating from the two medium sized circle windows gave the smallest view of them in the shadowy darkness.

"You spent quite a bit of winter holed up in this trash heap." Syne observed casually.

Naruto chanced a peep outside the window behind him. He'd planned on using chakra to run down the side of this old building, but with the lock rusted shut he would be forced to break through the glass to get through. Unfortunately the momentum for such a thing would send him too far away from the wall to attach himself to it. If he increased his somehow… then maybe he could get to the building stationed nearly thirty feet across from them. Naruto's eyes widened before he smirked. Syne's voice interrupted his thoughts, startling him.

"I could always spare you, you know? If you disobey me I WILL use the seal to kill you. Come with me and stay by my side and I'll let you live. You know as well as I do that there is nothing you can do, but take my offer." Syne whispered, there was a trace of something in her voice that startled him, it was hope.

Naruto shook his head. He would never go with her.

The hope in her eyes died and a sneer replaced it.

"Why?" Syne snapped.

Naruto looked into Syne's eyes, and for the first time in the three years he'd known her, he felt sorry for her. She was truly confused as to why he wouldn't want to go with her. Why he would give up his life to be away from her. She was utterly alone in the world now. She understood his own desperation as a child and didn't even know it.

"Because now I know what it's like to have something to live for and your not it." Naruto told her just before crashing through the window behind him.

He knew and understood that he didn't have a snowballs chance in hell of living, but if that knowledge stopped him from trying then he would have given up on life a long time ago.

Naruto twisted his body as he dropped. The serpent hissing angrily at him even as it disintegrated into nothing more than dirt. He threw his hands out in front of him towards the crumbling building and pumped chakra into his palms. Rotation and power. The first two parts of the rasengan burst from his palms to make a powerful force. The air twisted into wind like cyclones and pushed his body backwards.

As the cyclone force faded from his palms Naruto leaned back to see a fire escape fast approaching. Bending his body even further back he turned the free fall into a back flip before twisting to the right so that he faced the black bars head on. His chest and arms collided with it harsh enough that his very bones jarred painfully in rebellion. As his body began to move with gravity towards the ground below Naruto's hands grasped tightly to the fire escape and his legs dangled off it's edge beneath him. It wasn't graceful, but it had worked damn it.

He'd fallen down the length of two fire escapes with three beneath him. The old Uzumaki diplomatic building had been designed with much higher ceilings than the surrounding buildings so even though he'd been on the third floor of it's building in actuality he was five stories up.

Naruto breathed in a shaky breath. He lowered himself so that his whole body dangled before dropping down to the fire escapes handle bar below. His feet expertly balanced on it's inch thin frame as he looked down at the next one. He swung down to the last fire escape and easily landed the last twelve feet to the ground.

Naruto covered his mouth as a series of deep coughs racked his body. The seal would be taking full effect in a few minutes. That meant he would have to act fast. Naruto stood up and looked around to find the closest exit.

"Your really beginning to irritate me Naruto." Syne's voice announced.

Naruto spun around to see Syne's silky black hair slightly ruffled as she stood at the alleys exit. Naruto felt his entire body sag. He would pass out the moment he stopped using his demonic chakra. He knew that with the seal activated he couldn't keep using it though. The seal was designed to use the chakra running through his body to burn his insides and with kyuubi's chakra being in his system at the moment…

"You hate it when I fight back. That's why you went to such an extent to make sure that I never could." Naruto stated softly as the woman advanced on him.

"My offer still stands." Syne pleaded. "I can have you all to myself and you can have anything you want." Syne added.

"I won't let you control me anymore. I won't let you hurt me. I won't do this any longer." Naruto answered.

"You can't escape me… The only way you'll ever be able to get away from me is through death." Syne said as her hands moved into a seal.

"I know. Dying is better than being chained to you. I can't fight you anymore. I can't live like this anymore. The consolation for me is that I'll be the one to give that final blow to you." Naruto said as a small smile flittered across his sharpened canines.

Syne paused in the second seal.

"What are you talking about?" She asked suspiciously.

"Your all alone Syne. Your husbands gone and you have no friends. The only thing of importance in your life still is me." Naruto explained to her patiently. "That's why you offered me a chance to live isn't it?" Naruto's voice was almost kind in it's coldness.

"I have friends and I can have any man I want!" Syne denied.

She moved into the third seal.

"Everyone that knows you is afraid of you. Anyone that talks to you is weary and waiting. They know your fucked up in the head Syne. I've heard them talk about you. I'm the only one you have left that isn't afraid of you." Naruto informed her quietly, challengingly.

"Why aren't you? I'm killing you. Beating you. Fucking you while you scream! How can you not be afraid of me?" Syne screamed in near hysterics as she finished the last seal.

She was terrified of the answer he would give.

"Earth style! Living Tile." Syne cried out lifting her left arm above her head.

What sounded like thousands of pieces of glass breaking filled the air from up above. Syne's mouth was twisted into an almost insane smile. Eyes wide and bright with delight.

Naruto looked up to see the roof tiles ripping themselves from the roof and dangling in the air.

Syne moved her left arm downward and with the movement the sharp square pieces began to spin and descend at an alarming rate. Naruto dodged the first two that tried to split his head open, but wasn't fast enough to miss a third that sliced deep into his shoulder. Naruto bit his lip and forced back his darkening vision to avoid another five deadly tiles.

He couldn't dodge all of them but he could manage missing the more deadly projectiles. He lurched forward just in time to miss one that would have separated his arm from his body and almost fell to the ground when one pierced his extremely sensitive whisker marks. The pain that shot up from them being ripped open nearly rivaled the serpent bite in his side.

The tiles seemed endless. Naruto grunted as a spinning tile skimmed his back and another pierced his left leg.

"That's enough!" Naruto screamed out, throwing out a demonic wave of chakra.

The tiles blew away from his body. Breaking and shattering against the walls on either side of him. Unfortunately the act sped up the rush of chakra through his system. Naruto screamed in pain as the demonic chakra began to eat away at his insides and his vision blacked out on him for a moment. He fell to his knees in front of Syne who seemed enthralled by the prospect of watching him wither on the ground.

'_Not yet. I'm not gonna let her kill me before I tell her.' _Naruto thought determinedly.

Naruto bared his fangs at her. Forcing his body to stand up despite the agony the action caused him.

"I hate you so much." Naruto grit out.

Syne frowned at him. Her eyes narrowed into slits.

"I hate you with every ounce of my heart. I wish I could kill you, have dreamt of it even." Naruto admitted.

His body wavered. He could feel the right side of his body tipping.

"When you beat me, I'm not afraid of the next hit, I'm thinking about how much I want to hurt you in return."

Syne took a step back at the sheer anger and hurt that radiated off of the one in front of her.

"When you tell me how worthless I am, I'm not afraid of what your gonna say next, I'm thinking about how I want to crush your windpipe."

Hot tears leaked out and slid down his cheeks, mixing with warm blood.

"When you activate the torture seal on my heart, I'm not afraid of how long it's gonna last, I'm thinking about how much I want to take a kunai and stab it in your chest over and over again. Just so you know how it feels."

He couldn't hold his arms up any longer. Could barely feel them.

"When you hold me down and fuck me, I'm not afraid of you, I'm trying to figure out how to kill you."

This is what he wanted.

He wanted her to KNOW how much hatred he had for her.

How much she'd hurt him.

"I hate you so much and for so long that there's no longer any fear left to feel. My hatred for you has overwhelmed any weariness or fear in your presence."

He wanted her to know that he would never chose her over death again.

He wanted her to know how worthless SHE was now.

"I'm the only purpose you have left in this world and taking that away from you will be more satisfying than anything else I could ever do to you."

Naruto confessed all this to her and it felt so empowering. Even as the torture seal continued to bear down on his body she could no longer touch his soul.

Naruto slumped down. Kyuubi's chakra was finally fading from his system.

"Your wrong! You mean nothing to me. It's you that depends on 'me' to exist. My every word dictates your life. You belong to me." Syne cried out with laughter.

Hysterical laughter.

She'd gotten her answer to the question she'd been searching for, for a long time.

She was the demon.

If even a monster couldn't love her then she was unlovable.

That was what she'd feared and become.

* * *

Guruko urged his legs to move faster. He could smell him. A trail of medical herbs, ramen and the distinct scent of fox. People made indignant yelps as he brushed by them. Ninja turned their heads wearily as one of Kakashi's dog's rushed by as if chasing a rouge. Woman screeched dramatically about an animal running loose. He didn't care.

Naruto was miles away form him still. Kyuubi's power was incredible. He hadn't felt it's presence since the bridge during the fight with Zabuza. It didn't matter how fast the kid was though cause he could track him.

Guruko weaved between two fat men and vehemently ignored an orange cat sitting lazily on one of the markets countertops. He moved so fast that his feet barely touched the ground. Leaping onto a stack of crates Guruko moved to the rooftops. Guruko sniffed the air again. Gai was finally up and following them, but still quite far bit away. It was only bad luck that the skilled shinobi slammed his thick skull against the tree of all things.

He wished he could have waited for the spandex wearing Jounin, but the dog had a horrible foreboding. His headache was back full swing and every few minutes an image would hit him enough to stop him in his tracks before it would suddenly and unexplainably disappear again.

Guruko entered the bad side of town. The dog followed the trail through back alleys and rat infested streets. Yet he moved still further. Bars turned into foreclosed homes. Saloons turned into burnt down restaurants. He'd entered the part of the village that had long since been due for demolition and hadn't yet because of insufficient funds.

The smell was stronger now. Guruko stopped on top of an old crumbling building and sniffed the air. Naruto was down in the alley way below. The dog leaped off the roof and onto the next with chakra padded paws to soften the landing. He was fully healed now.

Guruko moved to the front of the building and easily moved down the side of it to land safely on an old overhang. He jumped down and moved to the mouth of the alleyway Naruto was in.

The first thing he saw was a rather beautiful woman with features twisted into an insane smile. A shudder ran down the dog's spine. Her silky black hair just touched her shoulders and steely brown eyes stared focused ahead. She wasn't paying him any attention what so ever. That's when it happened.

A smell entered his noise. Early morning grass, dew still on the blades, with just the barest hint of peaches. His headache exploded. Image after image raced through his mind. A bar. The beautiful woman. A broad shouldered man holding Naruto by the throat. An old but elegant looking house. Things he'd never seen. People he'd never met. Guruko was no longer in the alleyway on the darker side of town, but instead drifting through darkness. White glowing symbols surrounded him, but as the dog peered closer he could tell that they were cracking. Fast.

"_What is this?" _Guruko barked angrily.

His fur stood on end as images began to appear, half formed images and situations, things he didn't recognize but felt familiar. Then Naruto appeared, but it wasn't the Naruto he knew.

He was dressed in a black t-shirt and general black pants. Tears streamed down his face yet his eyes seemed icy. Gashes and bruises littered his frame and there were a few rips in his clothing. There was one other thing that was different. Naruto wasn't solid. The images that surrounded Guruko seemed to be coming from the translucent blonde, no more than that, they seemed to make up his body.

They were swirling around him and shifting in him, with each shift an image would grow bright and that part of him would be highlighted. The cracked symbols twisted around him like chains and spread out until they touched every corner of the dark place Guruko found himself in. There was a cracking sound. Guruko looked in it's direction to see one of the symbols crumble and with it a large group of shifting images slipped away from Naruto's form causing him to dim.

"_Naruto!" _Guruko shouted.

The dog ran up to the image that smiled down at him through his tears.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Image Naruto's voice echoed throughout the cavern like space.

"_Sorry for what? What is this?" _Guruko half whined half yelled.

Another symbol shattered.

"I'm sorry, just don't try to remember." Once more Image Naruto's voice echoed.

"_Remember what?" _The dog demanded.

A chain of symbols collapsed around them.

"Shhhh, just go to sleep Guruko, Kakashi will be back soon and your headaches will go away. They won't ever bother you again." Image Naruto said softly.

"_I don't want to go to sleep!" _Guruko growled ferociously.

Three symbols fell to pieces before disappearing.

"Please Guruko. It's better this way." Image Naruto declared sadly.

More images fell away from Naruto's body causing the blonde's shoulder to disappear.

"_What's happening to you?" _Guruko whimpered as he moved forward.

More symbols crumbled.

"Guruko, don't come closer. Just turn around and this will stop happening. Kakashi's in that direction. He needs you to go to him." Image Naruto said.

"_Answer me! What is this? What is it you don't want me to remember?" _Guruko demanded.

Four of the chains crashed to the ground, their shattered remnants flying in all directions. Image Naruto's legs dispersed, the images freeing themselves and tugging playfully with the last chains.

"Your life will be much harder if you don't stop. It's easier to forget and live on." The echo of image Naruto's words were softer now.

"_I want to remember! Tell me what it is that I've forgotten!" _Guruko screamed.

The last of the chains ripped apart. Their broken remains falling to the ground and littering the dark floor like glowing pieces of glass. The image of Naruto smiled regretfully down at Guruko as it began to unravel. The memory seal broken.

"You've forgotten me. I am what you need to remember."

And just like that the image of Naruto was gone leaving shimmering memories behind. For a moment the dark cavern was silent, the glowing pieces almost tragic, but only for a moment. The room exploded with light and sound as all the memories swirled around the wolf like dog, their pieces clattering against each other as they all attempted to enter him at once. Pain erupted against his skull. Guruko howled in pain. And then cried in understanding.

"_I'm not talking to him."_

"It would make things a lot easier if you would."

Kakashi gave him a tired but understanding smile.

"Naruto talks to _everyone_ whether they can hear or understand him any way. You have to remember that Naruto's been alone all his life. I often find him talking to himself while he trains just to fill the air with noise. I think it's just his way of trying not to feel too lonely…"

Kakashi spoke to him quietly.

"Hehehe… so you don't like me either huh? That's okay not many people do or animals I suppose in your case."

Naruto gave Guruko a large fake smile.

"So, would you rather the bed or the floor?"

Naruto asked Jokingly. He smirked and jumped on the bed.

"Hehehe… I gave that to you didn't I?"

"Shhhh. It's not a big deal. It happens two or three times a week. I'm not dying or in any kind of danger from it. Just a lot of pain; nothing I can't handle."

Naruto told him gently.

"I never eat breakfast."

Naruto said simply. Somehow it bothered him.

"Kyuubi will be able to heal this so either way you'll live. However he won't be able to heal it in time for you to avoid a few weeks in the hospital. Then you'll be behind in your bills again… that wouldn't be very nice now would it? Hospital bills, rent and other things…"

A beautiful woman with silky black hair stood menacingly above an injured Naruto. Guruko felt infuriated.

She smelled like early morning grass with a hint of peaches.

"Why exactly are you suddenly playing mute?"

Hana's angry eyes bore down on him accusingly.

"What am I suppose to do? Should I cook some rice to bring over? Should I try to find something nice to wear? Is there something I'm suppose to do before hand? No ones ever invited me to spend time with them before."

Naruto demanded in a panicked voice.

"I told myself that they'd come for me if something bad happened. It helped me sleep at night, you know? I know it's stupid and I shouldn't have, but… I wanted them to knock on my door this morning to see if I was okay. I know that's stupid and selfish."

Naruto admitted calmy, but his hands were shaking.

"Sometimes I pretend that they care as much about me as I do them."

He flinched at Naruto's words.

"Besides, I take up a lot more time than the others cause… cause their a lot smarter than me. They get stuff faster so its easy for Kaka sensei to teach them something quick and then go on another mission. I understand he doesn't have time to show me something, I know he gets frustrated when he's explaining stuff to me. Not as if it's the first time I've been told I'm too stupid to teach…"

He felt arms tighten around him as Naruto drew him closer.

"I knew you were just being a drama queen."

Naruto told him teasingly as they sat together at team 7's training ground.

"God I hate this job."

He heard Naruto's worn out voice mutter in the back of the bar.

"Sorry… I'm so sorry."

Naruto brokenly whispered through tears as Naruto burried his face into his fur.

"_What are you sorry for?" _

A scent familiar to him entered his nose. A smell of early morning grass with a hint of peaches mixed in with forced sex and ash that mingled with the aroma of sushi. Two humans had done it. He couldn't place it but he knew the next time he smelt it he would rip them apart.

"Please, I don't want any one to know. Everyone… they already… they already… think I'm useless. I don't want them to think I'm… I couldn't handle that. I don't want them to know what happened."

Naruto begged him, tears at the corner of his eyes.

"_Don't you ever think something like that was your fault!" _

"I talked to Tsunade-sama, the new Hokage, and she's gonna take me on as her student!"

Sakura cried out happily. Sadness filled him as he looked at Naruto's stunned face. Sakura stole something from Naruto without even knowing it.

"Guruko whined and cried all morning to go with me so I brought him to shut him up."

"_I did not whine, I demanded with dignity."_

Naruto smiled at him and he was realived to find it was a real one.

"It's alright, I know why we didn't celebrate it. My birthday's also the day that Kakashi's sensei died. You know, the whole Kyuubi attacking the village and got sealed into me thing?"

Naruto laughed but it was hallow.

"_You work three different jobs. Your exhausted all the time, no matter how hard you try to hide it. I can see it." _

"I have never failed a mission because I was tired. I've completed all the assignments given to team 7 and I've only missed training every once in a great while. What happens during my own free time is my business and no one else's!"

"_I don't care about the stupid missions! Naruto you can't keep doing this to yourself. It's not right that your rent is so high and that the only things you can afford to eat is rice and ramen. It's not right that a thirteen year old works at a BAR to make ends meet!" _"The world isn't a nice place, you either have to grow up or die and I decided that I slightly like living."

An argument held in the middle of the forest. Hurt and angry against defensive. Naruto against him.

"_Aren't you going to eat?" _

He watched Naruto grimace.

"It's already 6:20, I'll eat something when I get back."

"I paid a lot of money for it, put a lot of thought into what I wanted. When I opened the box and pulled this out… The shopkeeper purposely designed it to look like a clown's clothes, he looked me strait in the eyes and told me he hoped it would kill me on a mission, that an enemy nin would find me an easy target."

Naruto's voice sounded so resigned that it hurt.

"I'm a comrade, a fellow shinobi that they feel obligated to protect because I'm not good enough to do it myself. I think… I think that's the difference between a comrade and a friend. A comrade is someone who you work with and protect because you have to. A friend is someone your with because you WANT to be with them and protect because their precious to you."

"_I'm here for you; I'm your friend."_

And it was the absolute truth. He would be Naruto's friend no matter what happened.

"So, how do I look?"

"_Like shit." _

"Sometimes lying is nicer."

"_And look where its gotten you."_

"Something happened though, I don't know what, but something happened. Naruto was already the smallest kid in class but… he started losing weight. His body started showing physical signs of sickness. The scariest part was, was that Naruto never said anything about it."

With fear lacing his voice Chouji told Shika and, unknowingly, him of the academy days.

"_Are you alright?" _

"Fine."

"_You want to talk about it?"_

"No."

"_Alright. I'll be here if you do."_

"Thank You."

And he meant every word.

"_What's this about heart damage?" _

"Naruto's had heart damage since he was very young."

He felt his own heart clench as warm fingers ran through his hair.

"Guruko, I'm going to go take a shower, alright?"

"_Fine, just don't take too long, Shizune will be here in an hour."_

Naruto wasn't in the shower.

In fact he was still fully dressed, his jacket the only article missing, laying on top of the toilet seat. The blonde had his back against the tub with his legs sprawled out in front of him. That wasn't what Guruko was staring at though. Naruto's face was struck with pure horror as Guruko caught him in the act. From his elbow down six long inches sat a row of deep bloody cuts, some could be considered gashes, on his right arm. Naruto's left hand held a sharp, blood covered razor frozen in the midst of cutting another jagged line into his right arm. Naruto moved before he could even blink.

Blue tipped fingers stretched out and touched his forehead. The last thing he heard was the continued buzzing of an alarm clock accidentally set wrong.

Then half remembered words floating above him. A man with short, light blonde hair standing above him with a greedy twinkle in his eyes pupiless blue eyes. He smelt a small trace of bloody as a seal was drawn on his forehead by the man above him. He couldn't move though, couldn't even really see. Then the image wavered and a hot, not painful, but unpleasant shot of chakra ended all awareness.

He remembered... everything.

* * *

A/N: Akita is a Japanese dog that is related to the Siberian Huskey. Thought it was appropriate and it looks accurate. Though Guruko is half the size of an Akita. I figure that's why I can get away with saying he's half Akita. Hahaha…. Sigh. I'm probably the only one that got that joke and thinks it's funny. Please ignore my half assed attempt at humor.

ALSO: I want to know if anyone managed to get the huge metaphor I had in the Shika-Cho-Naru conversation. I loved it. Well… it was actually short but the meaning was big. This is the kinda shit I love doing and will fill any published works I manage someday.

And before any one says anything about the word pupiless… There are no humans without pupils on the face of the planet so of course there is no word for it so it is incorrect and I don't care. Deal. With. IT.

Two things:

1) Naruto remembers how his pants were really tight but he thought it was because he was fat. Let's point out that Naruto has had these pants for 2 or 3 years now and that he should have grown out of them like… a year ago. So they WERE tight but not for the reason Naruto believes.

2) In the fight with Syne Naruto 'threw his head back and screamed.' This IS one of Naruto's kyuubi infused attacks. He uses it against Haku in the ice mirrors, against Sasuke's fire attack, in the 2nd Naruto movie against the stupid petal hurricane. In Shippuuden he uses it against Kabuto on the bridge in one tailed state. Yet I've never heard of any author using it in their fanfic stories. WHY? It's a fricken awesome attack without any tails necessary people! I think it's awesome that Naruto can just open his mouth and scream and Kyuubi's chakra is thrown out like a huge wave and destroys everything.


	16. Guruko stands tall!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Syne's evilness belongs all to me though… which says wonders for MY personality.

Answers to reviews that I was not able to send personally.

Why am I bashing team 7 when it's a team 7 fic?

I do not believe I'm bashing them at all. At this time in the manga that I've chosen Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura show a great deal of selfishness and just plain obliviousness. They show it in Shippuunden as well but not so severe. I am merely developing their characters into something that is likable and usable but within their realm of selfishness.

Why is Kakashi as the 2nd character if he isn't here?

I wanted to do this as a Team 7 fic with Naruto centric through an unusual perspective (Guruko) so I thought Naruto and then the team Captain to show it as Team 7 since they don't offer 'Team 7' as a choice. Kakashi has an important part here but he will have a great deal more scene time in part 2.

What about pairings?

I don't pair 12/13 year olds. Crushes maybe. Friendships definitely. No pairings. And this will not end up as a Sasuke/Naruto romance. This is a friendship: Hurt: Family: Comfort: Dark fic. No romance. Can't write it. Don't like it. Won't do it.

Why such extremes? Slight eating disorder, cutting, sexual abuse and a heart problem? Isn't that a little much?

Before I began writing this story I wrote a ten page research paper on male self-mutilation for a class. 40 % of cutting cases had a eating disorder and 62 % were sexually or physically abused. The sexual abuse resulted in the slight eating disorder (from Synes words) and the seal set over the heart in order for the sexual abuse to occur without any one's knowledge caused the heart damage. The stress of all this is what caused the cutting. It's unfortunate but it's like a domino effect and when one problem occurs it often causes many others to arise. Most people with cutting problems have problems that caused it and health problems because of THAT. I believe that it's pretty much accurate though admittedly it might be a bit much in the storyline simply because of the detail placed here, but remember that this is suppose to be overwhelming and the emotions are suppose to be realistic so if it seems extreme that's probably because I don't write objectively like a lot of authors. After all I've only read about it in medical books, research papers and other people's accounts of the experiences so that means I haven't actually experienced this stuff myself and therefore cannot give a completely accurate account of what someone would REALLY feel like in this type of situation. I may be over dramatizing how these people would feel but seeing as I don't think I will be cutting any time soon I will never know.

**Why are you always promising chapters will be out soon when they are not?**

Because… I only planned this story at the beginning to be 10 maybe 12 chapters long. I already had 7 chapters written before I even posted the first. I honesty didn't think it was going to be this long. But once again I've underestimated how long it would take me to write chapters and how long it was going to be. My fault.

As for why I haven't updated since September… I didn't think the Forensics team would take up SO much of my time outside of classes. There's also several passages in the story that refused to be written well. I DO NOT update a crappy chapter. Every chapter took me a LOT of work and thought. I will NEVER update simply because it's taking more time to write a chapter. If I don't like it I don't update and this chapter has given me pure hell. I write scenes in different documents and then pull them together so that it flows nice and consider every aspect. For this chapter I literally have 24 different documents created and scraped 20 of them. I honestly don't know why this chapter gave me such a hard time.

The metaphor!

The month was near it's end. The full moon casting shadows about the sturdy ground that weaved with the leaves swimming about the windy air. Winter would be there soon with it's chilling air and unforgiving bite.

The meaning to the metaphor!

The month was near it's end. (Kakashi's arrival) The full moon (Naruto's eyes filled with uncertainty = uncertainty itself is often referred to as the full moon's uncertainty in whether it wants to be light or dark, hence why it always changes, From a Japanese folklore I read a long time ago but can't remember the name of) casting shadows (Shikamaru) about the sturdy ground (Chouji) that weaved with the leaves (The rookie twelve) swimming about the windy air (Naruto). Winter would be there soon with it's chilling air and unforgiving bite. (Syne is coming / the future will be harsh).

I didn't think anyone would get all of it but I thought it would be really cool if someone got the gist or even one part of it.

Answer to a question I know some may be wanting:

Gai recognized Syne as a Jounin yet she's in Anbu? As far as I can tell Anbu hold two rank as shinobi. Their regular rank and their secret rank as Anbu. It would be kinda suspicious for a ninja to stop coming into work and for a new Anbu to join the ranks don't cha think? No one is suppose to know your Anbu. Hence the masks even in their own village.

* * *

Chapter 16: Guruko stands tall

Tsunade looked down at her lottery ticket and frowned. She'd won. A couple thousand to be exact. The blonde Hokage looked out of her window at the village below.

"Fuck."

* * *

Guruko's brown eyes gazed at the scene before him. His body frozen in shock of the memories assaulting his mind even while his eyes took in his friend. There Naruto stood, bloody and beaten, every inch quivering in the effort to stand. Iruka's oversized shirt ripped and tattered to reveal still bleeding gashes. Dust and dirt smeared his face to the point that the dog could not tell where the smudges ended and the black, bruised skin began.

Naruto tipped dangerously to one side, blood red eyes beginning to roll into the back of his head, before he seemed to recover himself and stumbled to an upright position. His feet moved through the dust in a wider stance in an attempt at keeping balance. His left arm hung limply at his side.

Across from him Guruko could see the beautiful woman from before, but her face… it was twisted in a maniac like grin that sent shivers running through the dog's body. That grin made her look like a witch from a child's horror tale. Guruko urged his body to move again. Begged it to move. It felt as if his body was trapped in a genjutsu even while his mind was free from it hold.

The woman's lips cracked open to reveal shimmering white teeth as she spoke, but Guruko couldn't seem to hear what was being said. Luscious red lips moved, but no sound came out. Then her mouth opened wider in what Guruko thought was laughter, but he still couldn't hear her. The woman's black shoulder length hair fell forward with the power of her laughs as she bent forward slightly.

And then sound returned.

The whiz of metal slicing air. Guruko's eyes widened and he begged his body to move against whatever cursed after effects breaking the memory seal held on him, but it refused to obey. The dog watched helpless as shuriken sped toward his friend, his pact mate, his companion. Naruto dove towards the ground to his left and ripped a piece of broken prong pipe, the rusted, sharp metal biting deep into the boy's skin as he did. Naruto moved it in front of him and with reflexes earned from countless hours of practice deflected the majority of shuriken away from him body.

Two of them still managed to slip past the exhausted boy's blocks and embeded themselves into his chest. Screaming in pain Naruto collapsed to his knees, his right hand dropping the piece of metal in favor of keeping him from toppling over. Guruko attempted to force his chakra into the pit of his gut to move faster through his body in the hopes of quickening the side effects as he watched Naruto cough blood onto the ground. Naruto's left arm still hung limp and useless at his side, fingers laying in the dust.

Guruko internally screamed in frustration and fear as he watched the woman begin to form hand signs. He was so close. He could see Naruto's blood red eyes glazing over just twenty feet from him! Guruko pumped his chakra more. More. MORE! His muscles twitched in reaction. His body jerked. His claws dug themselves into the ground. Hair stood on end. Ears moved back. Fangs bared.

Guruko did not have time to reflect on the memories racing a thousand miles through his brain. He did not have time to consider what it all meant or why he'd forgotten in the first place nor did the dog connect the smell of the beautiful woman to one of the rapists until later. All he knew for certain was that Naruto needed him at that moment.

Guruko practically blurred with the amount of chakra circulating in his body as he rushed forward. The beautiful woman's hands formed the finale seal.

"Earth Style! Falling boulder!" She cried as the woman slammed her hand down onto the ground beneath her. Loud cracking sounds like thunder echoed above Naruto. The blonde looked up to see large chunks of the two buildings above ripping itself apart.

Guruko moved faster.

Syne smiled wickedly.

Naruto's eyes faded to blue, rolling into the back of his head as his body crumbled onto the ground even before the boulders slammed into the earth.

* * *

"Why do I always end up chasing Kakashi's students?" Mito Gai muttered to himself as he spread out his chakra to sense Guruko's diminishing chakra trail.

The Jounin paused on a roof top and closed his eyes, body going very still. He did not have a summon who could track like Kakashi nor was he a sensor type shinobi, but if he knew the chakra signature like he knew Kakashi's and his dog's then the man could lock on a follow the chakra even from a great distance away.

A few tiles shattered under the power of his chakra enhanced foot. Gai cringed. The third, fourth and fifth Hokages all lectured him about overdoing in on the buildings and property of Konoha citizens. He caused The Third a LOT of paperwork because of it. Gai felt Kakashi's dog about two miles off. Guruko's chakra trail veered off toward the red district, Gai frowned at that, the red district was closed off years ago by the council due to dangerously damaged buildings. It was a five mile stretch of crumbling buildings where druggies, alcoholics and the homeless resided. Why in the world would Naruto have gone there?

Gai leaped with a grace that belied his large muscular build to land at the bottom of an alleyway. A large building stood between him and he could feel Guruko's chakra resignating on the other side along with two others. Something was very wrong though… one of the chakra's was extremely weak and flickering with life. He blurred into motion, feet barely touching the walls as he moved up it and over. Gai leaped once he touched down on the roof and as he made to make one last jump a large section of the building suddenly crumbled away.

"What in the blazes..?" Gai yelled loudly as he leaped backwards and flipped into a crouched position.

Gai flipped and freefell headfirst down the wall on the left side of the building before twisting upright and landing without a sound an inch from the wall. Cautiously and with speed Gai moved to the alleyway the crumbling building pieces fell into. Peeking around the corner he caught sight of a familiar beautiful Jounin named Syne Fagan who specialized in Earth ninjutsu and seal techniques. In front of the woman a large collusion of the cement roof lay with dust billowing everywhere. The fire escape on the left building was badly bent and misshapen from the falling cement.

'_This is her handy work then…' _Gai thought as he analyzed the situation.

That's when Kakashi's dog, Guruko, came out of the ground in front of the large pieces of fallen cement. Gai's eyes narrowed as he caught sight of something held in the dogs mouth. A shirt? The dog continued to pull and the unconscious body of Naruto Uzumaki was dragged out of the Earth by Guruko's teeth. Gai's eyes widened as he took in the boy's bloody state. He now knew who the flickering chakra belonged to.

"You fucking mutt, how dare you get in my way!" Syne yelled, voice dripping in fury.

Guruko growled angrily through the mouthful of cloth. The dog pulled Naruto's limp body further away from the demented woman before stepping in front of him. Gai watched the Jounin snarl at Guruko and Naruto before her hands sped into a series of seals. Gai recognized them immediately. If Guruko went back into the Earth to escape he would be butchered! Gai blurred into action even as Guruko grabbed ahold of Naruto's shirt and Syne finished the last seal.

"Rising Spikes Jutsu!" Syne hissed, so preoccupied with finishing off Naruto and Kakashi's damned dog to notice another chakra aura.

Sharp spikes shot out of the Earth directly beneath Naruto and Guruko… or at least where they use to be. Syne whirled, looking around in panic and anger, before hearing the subtle sounds of someone touching brick. Gai glared angrily at the woman as he held the bloody and broken body of Kakashi's student protectively in his arms from atop one of the misshapen fire escape landings. Guruko stood beside him growling with fangs bared.

Gai watched as the woman visibly collected herself and became calm. The two Jounin, Anbu and former Anbu member, sized each other up. On the one hand Gai was burdened with protecting an unconscious genin, but on the other Syne had near to no chakra left from all the jutsu's she'd been spilling out. They were in a disserted part of town where no one should have been able to hear or sense them. Even an advanced Sensor would have had to have been at the edge of the area in order to find them.

"Syne Fagan," Gai spoke loudly but with authority, "You have not only been caught attempting to murder a Genin of the Hidden Leaf Village, but also a boy previously under the protection and guardianship of the late Third Hokage. By law and moral it is my job to apprehend you for interrogation and then immediate execution. Surrender honorably and accept your punishment."

Syne simply scuffed at him.

"That thing won't live long if you fight me you know…" Syne proclaimed. "Your too much of an ass wiping moralist and loyal bitch to the Hokage to allow it to die. You don't have time to fight me and save him."

Syne turned her back to the taijutsu master and began to walk away. Gai's eyes hardened as he watched her. He could hear the ragged breaths of the child in his grasp and looked down briefly to the fever ridden face of Naruto. He knew what he would do… Gai blurred.

"Leaf Hurricane!" Gai called out as he spun and slammed a debilitating kick into the back of the arrogant Jounin, the sound of cracking and splintering ribs echoed in the deserted streets. Syne screamed as she hit the ground at an awkward angle before rolling and coming up in a crouch holding her sides. Gai landed gracefully on his feet, Naruto still tucked safely in his arms.

"Or… I can do both. Your mistake was underestimating your opponent and hurting a precious Genin of this village." Gai admonished angrily. "I've already sent a pulse of chakra through my old Anbu tattoo and you are NOW too injured to get away from them."

"Hardly." Syne hissed as she body flickered from in front of the trio.

"Guruko, wait for the Anbu and then follow after the traitor." Gai ordered.

For a moment Guruko considered ignoring him and following Naruto to the hospital, but the edge in Gai's voice and the lack of power he had in doing anything to alleviate Naruto's pain caused the dog to falter. Going after Syne would insure the bitch got what she deserved. He was one of Kakashi's tracking dog's and he had her scent. So instead Guruko glanced at Naruto's prone form and readied himself. Naruto was strong. Guruko, time and again, was impressed by the boy's tenacity and ability to endure no matter the situation. So he would have to have faith… faith that his friend would still be alive the next time they met.

Guruko nodded at Gai who took to the roofs of one of the oldest sections of Konoha to bring his companion to the hospital. He'd sink his teeth into that bitch and claw her eyes from her skull.

* * *

Sakura Haruno sighed loudly as she pushed away the drape hanging in front of one of her favorite shops and allowed her gaze to wander as she entered. It was a teashop whose prices were reasonable and food servings just right for her diet. She was not attempting to lost weight, it was simply a means to conserve her figure and live a healthy life style, at least that's what she told Ino.

Sakura went up to the counter and ordered her usual for Lunch. A rice ball with Bourbon chicken on the side and a hot cup of Earl tea. When they went to this shop Sasuke preferred Shrimp with white rice and lobster sauce on top and a cup of cold Sencha tea. Sasuke was not with her now though, he'd quietly refused her invitation and walked off, apparently lost in thought.

Sasuke had been worrying her for some time now. Ever since the forest of death when that horrible person Orochimaru placed that thing on Sasuke's neck. She could see the seal caused him a great deal of pain then and now, but the boy was stubborn. He wouldn't allow her to help him. Every time she tried to talk to him Sasuke closed up or snapped at her. It was frustrating.

The team had just patched things up about all the horror that was known as the Forest of death with Orochimaru and the curse seal and then Sasuke's brother had shown up. Sasuke began, just a little, but began to tell her about his problems after the Chuunin Exam when he showed up. It was as if every time her team managed to take a step forward someone was always there to rip them back a few steps.

Naruto… She'd never invited her other teammate to any of her favorite places and didn't know any of his preferences concerning food outside of ramen.

Guilt began to nag at her again.

She knew Naruto liked all sorts of teas though, the blonde could often be found with a hot cup of tea on their missions. He brought several individual packets for any trip lasting more than three days. His favorite, as far as she could tell since she'd never asked, was Jasmine. He also seemed to really like Matcha, Cha Yen Thai black tea, and Shangai Orchid white tea. One cup every morning if the mission was peaceful enough and the only time he was quiet.

She hadn't talked to Naruto in a while.

Not since their argument.

If you could call it that. An argument required yelling and a lot more talking than what occurred.

She hadn't even seen Naruto since… the paint incident.

Sakura rubbed the inside of her left wrist absentmindedly. A quirk she'd inherited from her mother. She remembered the hurt look on her friends face when that basterd of a man threw the tomato at his face. The moment blue eyes looked at her and Ino… She'd felt it. This chasm open up between them.

Thinking back to the last few months it seemed to her that the chasm had begun to form a while ago, but she'd been too unobservant to notice it. When had it started? She didn't know. It seemed to have formed out of nowhere. Definitely much further back than when Sasuke and Naruto fought on the roof, but how far past that event she wasn't sure.

She'd been thinking about Naruto a lot lately, trying to remember when things started changing. It was only now that she noticed how Naruto had been bouncing back with useless babble less and less after she berated him or insulted him. He hadn't been bugging Kakashi to teach him new jutsus nor aggravating Sasuke with challenges since the fight on the roof. Hell… he even backed down the last time Sasuke attempted to fight him. It startled her… no, it scared her that she didn't notice. She couldn't even remember the last time he'd asked her out on a date which he used to do at the end of every day without fail. At first she'd been happy about the change… really happy, but as things degraded she wished more and more for her teammate to bug her about those things again.

"_What do you think is the most annoying thing about me?" Naruto asked quietly._

"_Well, that's kind of tough, I mean there's a lot about you that's annoying." _

Sakura winced as she thought of all the things she'd said to him. She regretted them now. The action undoubtedly having caused Naruto to push more away from her than he'd already been.

"_Never mind, I know exactly what's wrong with you! You're selfish and arrogant and always try to be the center of attention. When you told me the other day you wanted to change for the better I believed you, but you're not even trying. Your nothing like Sasuke and will never be as good as Sasuke."_

She hadn't meant it.

Not a word of it.

She'd just been angry at the time, extremely angry, and hurt. It wasn't that he hadn't gotten her a present, it was that he didn't seem to have even cared, he seemed so flippant about blowing her off. She knew he didn't have a lot of money, but a simple homemade card would have made her happy. If he'd just did what he said he was going to do she wouldn't have lost her temper. Those words though… She deeply regretted them. Even if Naruto had been a little more scatter brained lately he did not deserve that.

When Sakura got a hold of her food she found a nice seat in a corner of the shop to sit down. She and Sasuke agreed that they'd meet up at the training grounds in an hour so she had plenty of time. She heard a tinking sound and looked down.

Her teacup cracked.

* * *

Iruka was pale faced as he raced from rooftop to rooftop. There were still specks of flour on his clothes as the breeze rushed by. An hour and a half passed by in the kitchen with cold French Toast before Iruka went in search of his pseudo brother. When he found the apartment door left wide open and walked in he'd nearly had a heart attack. The place was ruined. There wasn't a single thing left unbroken in the apartment. Iruka wasn't sure if he would have been happier to have found Naruto there or not. If Naruto had been hurt or just sitting there shocked it would be bad, but to now know where Naruto is?

Iruka leaped up onto one of the many poles in the village and ran up to the top of it. He searched the roads below for any sign of the boy. His eyes couldn't help, but angrily stare at the people below. At every turn the people of this village managed to somehow in some way mistreat the boy.

It was a sad fact, but a fact none the less. The paint incident and this current break in were simply examples of some of the things the villagers would do.

As long as he'd known Naruto he'd been chasing after the boy for one misdeed or another; painting graffiti on any surface he could, disrupting class, dying peoples hair, leaving harmless snakes in a desk, setting up elaborate traps to trip up his chuunin chasers, turning the classroom completely backwards in setup, bringing hundreds of frogs into the school at night and letting the teachers discover them during the morning, super-gluing all the windows and doors shut, gluing Sasuke to his chair on three different occasion, scaring a team of genin in the graveyard once with an elaborate mask and sound effects… the list went on and on.

Naruto had been relentless and Iruka somehow got the job, along with several other chuunin, of chasing the boy down when one occurred.

He couldn't help, but let a proud smile show. Naruto was far more creative and resourceful than any of his peers that was for sure.

Because of that Iruka was aware of almost all the places the boy liked to go when he wanted to get away. He wasn't at the old house in the woods Sarutobi promised him nor was he on the rooftop near the academy whose building had been abandoned because of rat infestation. There was a large rocky land space in the middle of Lake Washi where a stone patio with a wooden roof was built connected to the shore by a bride. Naruto loved that place not only for its peace, but because it was in the midst of a nearly deserted district. No one went there. It was there Naruto went when he was in an especially foul mood in order to cool off. Naruto wasn't there either.

The swing swung in the breeze, empty of any child and Iruka belatedly realized that his classes started forty-five minutes ago. He stopped in and told the Head he had an emergency to deal with before taking off again without even taking a glance back. Street after street he searched. The ramen shop, Hokage tower, Team 7's grounds and even the boy's apartment again. It was as if Naruto simply disappeared. Iruka went back to his apartment, hoping against hope that the genin was there. He wasn't.

Iruka sat on the couch in exhaustion looking down at his hands.

Naruto had Kakashi's dog Guruko with him… he would be fine. His hands began to shake badly.

Naruto had Guruko with him, he would be FINE.

A tremor began to go up his arms.

Naruto would be fine.

Iruka took a deep breath and rushed back out the door despite his tired legs.

A frightening memory sprung to mind as he moved back onto the street. It came from Months ago, but current events brought it forth to the surface. The Third Hokage's words several weeks after the rookie nine graduated. The man's thankfulness to him with tears in his eyes. Before Naruto's graduation when the Third talked to Iruka about the boy the man was formal and distant. In foresight he knew the man was gauging him, trying to see if he would hurt Naruto in any way, see past his own stigma that his villagers were good.

It wasn't until after graduation that the Third truly trusted him.

The Third told him how close Naruto had been. The deep depression he could see in the child as each year went on.

When Naruto was ten years old he'd confided in Sarutobi one night on the eve before his eleventh birthday that he wanted to die. The confession came from a half asleep Naruto on the couch beside The Third. The man dropped his tea. The cup crashed to the floor, but Naruto didn't notice, already asleep. The old Hokage admitted to Iruka that he'd cried for a while that night with Naruto's head on his lap.

The Third considered placing Naruto on suicide watch or in the hospital, but ultimately the man knew Naruto would only spiral further into isolation if he did so. Since The Third's confession Iruka kept an even closer eye on Naruto and slowly those signs of depression the old man spoke about showed themselves to him.

When The Third passed away he'd been hard pressed to find the words to comfort the boy. What do you say to someone whose only anchor for living the first twelve years of their lives is dead? The words seemed to come out. He spoke from his heart and really that's all Naruto ever wants from anyone.

Iruka pushed chakra into his legs. Eyes roaming the streets.

'_Naruto… where are you?' _Iruka thought.

* * *

"_Your still too weak… You don't have enough hate!"_

Sasuke took a deep sip of his mildly hot tomato soup while staring at the ground in anger as the face of his brother sprang to mind.

"_Sasuke…. Calm down. Even if he gets me I will protect you. I will never let my comrades die." _

Sasuke bit his lip, the image of Kakashi, bright and clear in his minds eye.

"_I look forward to seeing you again Sasuke… in the quest for power." _

Sasuke felt his skin crawl as the image of that thing came to him again. Orochimaru. Yet…

"_Have both your hatred and your intent to kill wavered because of your fear? Is this the pitiful extent of your existence?" _

The redhead with some dark horrible power. Gaara. He'd beaten him so easily. Why was he so weak? After all of his training. It was for nothing.

"_Ever since that Orochimaru attacked you, you haven't been yourself! That mark on your skin is hurting you again isn't it? And it just keeps getting worse." _

Sasuke put his hands behind his head and gently fell to the ground to close his eyes for a moment. Bright pink hair. Concern. Care. Sakura.

"_Your in no shape to fight Sasuke! Sasuke I know that you've barely been able to contain the pain all this time." _

Stupid Sakura and her idiotic concern. He didn't need help. He touched the mark on his neck.

"_I bet… I bet they're really proud of you Sasuke. Sasuke, the last of the great Uchiha clan, beating up a no-name orphan because he's having a tantrum." _

Naruto. His body froze. Was he really acting like a child?

"_Does it make you feel better, Sasuke? Does punching me make you feel better than me, stronger than me? Does hitting me and insulting your worthless teammate take the pain of losing your family away?" _

No… it didn't, but killing his brother would make him feel better. Making sure he paid for what he did would make him feel better. Bringing justice upon his brother would make him feel so much better, more complete. He didn't have any obligations to anyone! Not Naruto. Not Sakura. Not Kakashi and certainly not Itachi.

"_But there's a catch… you have to kill your closest friend."_

Could he honestly kill Naruto for the sake of power though? Like Itachi killed Shishui. Could he become like Itachi in order to beat Itachi?

"…_I thought of him as strong 'cuz like me he grew up wrapped in loneliness and sadness and yet he kept fighting for himself from inside that core of solitude. But that's not what it takes to be truly strong is it? You can't really get strong just fighting only for yourself… I swear I'll protect all of you!"_

Naruto. Naruto was so confusing. The blonde kept getting stronger, but he didn't understand how! He was an idiot, a loser, completely inept at every form of the shinobi arts! But… as the curse mark covered his body and he offered to keep Gaara at bay while Naruto got Sakura out of there he couldn't help but remember the strength and determination he had.

He'd been able to stand to help Sakura and Naruto when he'd been unable to help himself against Gaara's attack only a few minutes before. He'd been able to catch Naruto after the blonde was sent hurtling toward the tree to their backs with Gaara's attacks. Was there really something in protecting the people you care about that made you stronger?

"_A true ninja seeks for the hidden meaning within the hidden meanings. In a ninja's world those who violate the rules and fail to follow orders are lower than garbage. However… those who do not care for and support their fellows are even lower than that." _

Kakashi. The hidden meaning within the hidden meaning.

"_What was that crap? Maybe your hot-snot famous Uchiha clan isn't that great after all. Huh?_

"_Next time he's dead meat."_

"_Despite the total butt-kicking you got this time right? You saw his hands right? Old doggy brows probably gets some kind of super duper extra-special training, day after day! Even more than you got. Your toast pal." _

"_Things are starting to get interesting. This Chuunin selections exam is bringing things to a boil." _

Naruto… He always… managed to get him to continue moving. Always managed to give him that silent hidden message. _'Work harder… you'll get there.' _

"_You idiot! I'm me."_

"_That's bull… And you're the idiot, you idiot! You're a coward which Sasuke isn't so your not him! I'm not so sure we need to be afraid of this guy. And even if we did hand over the scroll there's no guarantee that he'd spare us! So even if you were Sasuke I'd still be telling you that you're an idiot! And maybe… a chicken too."_

"_Oh Naruto… this is rich! And your right. Why bargain when I can simply kill you and take the scroll."_

He'd been so cocky, acting like Naruto was going to get them killed, when it was Naruto who'd been thinking clearly. And again He'd talked him down from his emotional high. _'Get a hold of yourself! Think! Don't panic. We're facing someone stronger than us but shinobi often come to that point. We can't be afraid in the midst of battle!' _

Sasuke knew Naruto wasn't elegant in speech, the blonde spoke only in hidden meanings, if he tripped up and said something stupid it was usually because he was trying to say something completely different. Sasuke knew that a lot of the times he missed what Naruto was really trying to say and could see the frustration on the blondes face at being unable to say things correctly. Most of the time when he insulted the blonde it was because he too was frustrated with Naruto's inability to communicate. At least he had an idea of it, Sakura seemed completely unaware that Naruto was trying to say something else.

"_What is it? What have I done towards you for you to be such an ass to me? Why are you so angry with me all the time? What could I have possibly done to piss off your high and mighty ass?" _

He didn't know. Nothing. Everything. Something? He didn't know.

"_Sasuke… I don't want to fight you, we're teammates. Let's just talk, alright?"_

Where had this Naruto sprung up from? Where was the rashness and foolishness? Talk? When had Naruto… but that was just it. Wasn't it? Naruto was always trying to get them to talk. He was always trying to get them to hang out. He was always trying to get them to train with him. Annoying. Hadn't he and Sakura always called him that for how loud and clingy the blonde was?

"'_Tachi? Aunty got really angry at me today when I asked her for a Cinnamon bun for breakfast, but she's always been really nice to me. Why did she change? Did I do something bad?" _

"_No… you didn't do anything bad. She's just been depressed for a while over her sons death and his favorite treat was Cinnamon buns." _

"_Depressed? Why's she been lying to me about being happy then? Why is she always smiling?" _

"_When you see a different side of a person it doesn't mean that they've purposely lied or deceived you, but rather quite the opposite. You've merely dismissed them as a single strand than the bundle everyone is made up as. There are an array of things that motivate a person. Circumstance. Mood. Health. Weather. People. Past events. Relations. Even our own minds can create a situation in which our actions change. How you perceived a person also changes how you see the situation. You saw Aunty as solely a kindhearted person who is forever in a good mood and never unhappy… thus you ignored the signs that said otherwise."_

"_Um… 'Tachi… I don't really understand. So Aunty is kindhearted and depressed?"_

"_She's a number of things little brother, those are simply a part of her. She's also slightly shallow, but mature. She likes to have money at her disposal, but needs to donate some of it so that she looks good in the eyes of our clan. She enjoys the company of children and thus invites them over all the time and makes them cookies. She became infertile at a young age and never got to have children of her own… hence why she's still kept her shallow trait over the years because she's never really had to care for anyone, but herself. All this is simply the top of a much larger bundle that I have not seen and probably never will. Every person is highly complicated Sasuke, to believe them to be anything but is a most foolish mistake." _

Itachi… that man. He… For so many years he'd ignored all of his brothers advise, everything that, that man ever said to him was blocked out fervently. But…

"_I won't always be the loser slowing everybody down."_

"_You ARE a loser! Who are you fooling?" _

Itachi had been right. People were complicated. He constantly made the foolish mistake of thinking Naruto was not. How many times had Naruto slipped up like thatand admitted he thought he was the loser everybody called him?

"_I… I'm sorry that… I'm not the teammate you wanted. I'm sorry I'm not a genius or talented in any way. I'm sorry I always screw up our missions. I … I know I'm not a good ninja, but… but I don't need you telling me how worthless I am when I'm already well aware of it."_

Naruto WAS loud and clingy and rash, but he also enjoyed listening to others and liked helping people to the best of his ability. Naruto couldn't stand to see another person in pain. If he thought that the best way to solve their problem was by talking then he would talk all day and if they needed to fight then he could do that too. Sometimes though… Naruto seemed to turn into something else. Someone else. And Sasuke became afraid of the boy he'd begun to call his best friend.

"_That's my boy." _

"_When he's in the room with me, all he talks about is you."_

His father and mother. Would they be disappointed with him? Was he not doing the right thing? No… He needed to avenge his fallen clansmen. He was honor bound to. His family wouldn't be able to rest in peace until their murderer paid for what he did! Right? The clan was the most important thing…

"_The clan. The clan. You babble on, but you overestimate your abilities and you have no idea of the depth of my own, which is why you're crawling right now. You cling to your organization, to your clan, and your name, but you are narcissistic and arrogant. And you fear what you don't understand. Pure idiocy! Obsessing over worthless things like the __**clan**__… you lose sight of what's really important. Premonition and imagination. You can't achieve real change if your bound by regulations and restrictions."_

It scared him. Those words. They seemed to be matching up to his own life in so many ways at the moment. To obsess over the clan and see nothing but it. He could see what Itachi meant about what a danger that poised. His arrogance when facing Lee and Gaara proved that. He'd underestimated Naruto as well…

"…_And you fear what you don't understand. Pure idiocy! "_

He feared Naruto because he didn't understand the power the blonde seemed to have. He didn't understand how Naruto could improve so much since the academy… it seemed like an inhuman pace. He didn't understand Naruto at all. One day he acts like a complete idiot and the next he's solemn and weary… then he goes right back to being the idiot he knows within a few hours… and then he will out of no where talk with such wisdom and knowledge… and then trip over his own feet… and then he'll come up with an extremely advanced strategic plan and implement it perfectly… and next he'll ask an unbearably stupid question about the simplest of things. Naruto was a walking web of contradictions.

Naruto was not like his Aunt whose traits connected with each other somehow even though it was complicated. The things about Naruto seemed to crash into each other and hinder and shadow everything to the point of being indistinguishable. It was almost as if there were two people instead of one.

Why did everything have to be so complicated?

Itachi.

Kakashi.

Orochimaru.

Sakura.

His father.

Naruto.

All of them seemed to be pulling him in completely different directions and he wasn't sure how far he could stretch. What was right and what was wrong was so blurred to him right now…

Was hunting Itachi the best thing to do? Or was forgetting what that man did and moving on better? Should he train for his own sake and eventually if fate determines it fight Itachi? Or was protecting the people he cared about the most important thing to do? Was it really that important that Naruto might be as strong as him? Was it by Naruto's own will power or was it his own weakness that allowed Naruto to catch up with him so quickly? Both? Neither? Was he being stupid, like Itachi said, by fearing Naruto because he didn't understand the blonde? Would his family be disappointed in him by his life so far or be happy? Do they want him to kill Itachi or did they somehow still love the man even after all that he's done to the clan? He was so confused and weary and exhausted.

What was right and what was wrong? He honestly didn't know anymore. He wished all of his thoughts would just give him a rest and quit for the day.

_"I would like to propose an idea to you Sasuke. Two people have gone through with a particular ritual to completely seal away a curse seal given to them by Orochimaru that entails some high risks. Your arrogance is just as large as your predecessors. There are no percentages of risk for this Sasuke, simply a reading of the soul, the success completely depends on you. In this ritual you will either walk away with your life and freedom or be devoured by the seal till ashes remain where your body once was. Live or die depends completely on you." _

Could he go through with the ritual? Was he a good enough person to survive it? Was he so determined to fight Orochimaru seals that he was willing to risk so much? He hated the idea of anyone manipulating him, steering his thoughts, controlling him like a puppet. He was no one's toy, but was he strong enough to survive this? Then again this wasn't about physical strength. This wasn't about how strong his emotional front was. The ritual would read his inner most thought, his darkest desires, his whole soul in it's entirety. It wasn't about strength of mind or body, but the strength of his soul, and he was not sure he could pass the test.

"_Sasuke, forget about revenge. Although… in my line of work I've seen a lot of kids like you. The fate of those who speak of revenge is never good. It's quite tragic actually. You'll only end up hurting and suffering more than you are now. Even if your revenge is a success you'll only have emptiness."_

Kakashi. Did he want that end? Could he give up everything for revenge?

"_I've lived longer than you. Times were bad back in my day. I know the pain of losing somebody more than I'd like to, but neither you nor I can be called lucky… that's for sure. But were not the most unfortunate either. You and I have both found precious friends haven't we? You realize it after you lose them… Chidori was a power I gave you because you found something important. That power is not to be aimed at a friend or used for revenge. You ought to know what that power should be used for. Think about whether or not what I've said hit the mark or not."_

Or should he just appreciate the things and people he'd found after so long of being left alone? Abandon his families honor and past in the hopes of a brighter future? What was right and what was wrong… He didn't know anymore. Sasuke bent down to pick up his large cup of tomato soup only for his fingers to touch the cooling liquid on the outside of it. Looking down he saw a large split down the center of the cup.

* * *

Moegi carefully braided the flowers she picked earlier that morning into a crown. White, yellow and purple petals sticking out all over the place. It was rather pretty and well done if she did say so herself. The eight year old hummed as she finished her work on a bench near the hospital. The courtyard, where she technically wasn't allowed to be in cause it was reserved for patients, was the only place in the village where the purple flowers she wanted grew. So she'd hurriedly picked them and then got out of there.

There was a pleasant little wooden bench several yards in front of the hospital thought where those nasty, mean nurses wouldn't pass by. She was suppose to be in school, but her mother insisted that she learn 'the family business of clothes design rather than those silly knife tricks they teach you at the 'military school' that your _father _allows you to go to.' So her mother dragged her around the market place looking for special cloths since her _father _was away on business and couldn't stop her mother.

It had been a long standing argument with her parents about her choice of being a Kunoichi. She knew her mother wasn't attempting to be mean or sabotage her education, but was merely terrified her daughter would come home in a body bag after a mission. It was valid and Moegi understood so she never go angry with her. A few months after attending the academy one of her sensei's asked to talk to her after class, Kurama sensei, and told her she had a special talent only a rare few showed. She was a type of shinobi they referred to as Chakra Sensors. It was when a person was extremely sensitive to chakra auras and chakra use. They couldn't see it, but they did feel it. It was this talent that cemented her belief that she was meant to be in the ranks of shinobi.

Moegi ditched her after the first hour though and decided to just ditch school altogether since she'd rather face a fire spitting rat the size of a horse before her teacher who seemed particularly nasty to 'late' students. Konohamaru would be so jealous too, though she was sure to get a lecture from Udon. The boy was such a stick in the mud. The boy was filled with surprises though, Udon of all people was the one to come up with ideas for pranks. The glasses wearing boy seemed rather carefree and fun when he thought they wouldn't get caught.

Apparently he had _really _strict parents that punished him for every small thing wrong he did. So whenever Moegi and Konohamaru were around his parents Udon would introduce them as 'The Hokage's Honorable grandson Konohamaru and an aspiring Kunoichi to be Moegi' in order to impress his parents. Konohamaru said nothing about how much he hated the title and simply acted on his best behavior for his friends sake. The gratitude in their friends eyes was enough to know how thankful he was. Udon's parents would gush, pinch their cheeks, and give their son an appraising look.

A strong wind blew.

Moegi gasped as several of her flowers skittered into it's grasp and disappeared. She looked up, ready to scold the shinobi who caused it, because she recognized the traces of chakra in the wind. Instead of scolding she stood there shocked and horrified. A Jounin in green spandex had landed gracefully from the high building nearly sixty feet away for only a brief moment before his figure blurred again into the building behind her.

"Nii-san." Moegi whispered.

The young girl felt her feet moving fast beneath her before her mind even registered the scene. Her small body slammed into the glass double doors, bursting them open, and looked wildly around.

"Nii-san." Moegi called.

Noise filled the air as half a dozen doctors and nurses swarmed around a recently produced medical bed. A bloody Jounin standing off to the side, keeping out of the way, but eyes narrowed and watching.

"Nii-san!" Moegi screamed this time.

She pushed her way through the crowd until she stumbled upon the bed and saw her big brother figure there. Naruto lay, raggedly breathing, with blood seeping from various wounds. His eyes were closed tightly in pain. Suddenly Naruto moved his head to the side, causing Moegi to nearly jumped back in stupefied horror when Naruto coughed harshly and blood spattered across the white sheets in front of her. Tears sprang to Moegi's eyes as she clasped Naruto's cold, limp hand.

"Nii-san!" Moegi choked.

"What are you doing here?" A man in a doctors jacket demanded before turning to one of the Nurses. "Get the kid out of here now! I need to get the boy to the ICU immediately!"

The nurse nodded before gently grabbing a hold of the distraught girl. Moegi ripped her shoulder from the woman and walked with the medical bed as three male doctors began to push it down the hallway. She held on tightly to Naruto's hand and shrieked in protest when the Nurse from before grabbed her around her waist and heaved her away from the bed.

"Let go of ME! Naruto Ni-san!" Moegi screamed and kicked and punched the poor nurse as the bed with her big brother's body disappeared down the hallway.

"Your only causing him to lose his chances of survival with your behavior child!" The Nurse called angrily from above her.

Moegi stilled. The Nurse hesitantly let go of her before straitening and absentmindedly pushing her strands back. The woman pointed toward a room down the hall.

"Stay in that room so that I can do my job, you hear?" The woman asked her sternly.

Moegi nodded, stifling a sob. The woman sighed.

"I'll tell you when he's in safe grounds." Then the Nurse turned and quickly made her way down the hall to were Naruto's body was taken.

Moegi shook hard, hugging herself in the middle of the hallway, hoping that it was all just a bad dream and she could wake up. A large hand gently touched her shoulder and the startled child turned around to see the strange, green spandex Jounin that brought her big brother figure in. She sniffled loudly up at him.

"In times like these it is best that one not be alone to suffer." The man said quietly. "Come… I've already sent a message to our Lady Hokage. We should wait were we will not hinder the wonderful healers of this hospital."

The strange Jounin then swept her up in a gentle hug and carried her to the waiting room of the hospital. Moegi sobbed into his chest and told the man how much she loved her Ni-san and how her Ni-san couldn't die 'cause he just couldn't. Her hand strayed to her right pocket where her now pink stained cloth sat. She pulled it out and held it close and trembled. The Jounin simply stroked her back and whispered reassurances in her ear.

* * *

Kakashi Hatake felt the world tilt to one side and stay there. Of all the places his target had to be it would be some godforsaken boat in some ill colored sea between the middle of nowhere and 'why the fuck are you fighting over _this _territory.' Yeah… that place. Sixteen targets all located around a seemingly nightmare of an area. Sea by cliffs by ice equals very hard to live in and not so easy to hide in place. Yet for some reason, because there are people here and people are apparently stupid, they are fighting over it as if the ice were gold and cliffs made out of silver.

So the opposition, who'd paid an ungodly price, wanted their enemies gone. So his clients had paid an ungodly price so that he could eliminate the opposition who wanted them gone. So that meant ten high paid shinobi and six fat politicians needed to die so that his clients wouldn't die. All for cold and unpleasant water with nasty, pointy cliffs, and even colder icy cliffs. Yup… that's the gist.

So his world was tilting. Kakashi stealthily moved from the deck to below and moved in on his prey. The last target. The last political enemy. Kakashi slid in beside him, could feel the tensed body breathing in and out, saw the wide eyes looking around him wearily. Kakashi had followed the panicked politician as the man realized he was the last target and attempted to flee the country in a last ditch effort to save his skin.

The body hit the floor before the man even knew he was there. The throat was cleanly sliced in a way that he was instantly dead. Kakashi stretched his muscles and body flickered to the deck once more. He leaped into the air and gracefully landed on the surface of the choppy water. The inhabitants of the boat would never know Konoha was involved and it would probably take them a little while to even realize that their precious cargo no longer walked among the living.

Now he could finally get back to his students. Kakashi began to move with all haste toward his home. He'd had a bad feeling since the beginning of this mission. He'd pretty much left his team to their own devices when they were on less than best terms. Hopefully Tsunade and Jeraiya kept Sasuke and Naruto from ripping each other's throats out. Something else was bothering him though, a lingering feeling that stayed with him for the entirety of the trip, a notion that he'd missed something extremely important before his departure.

It didn't matter. In four days time he would be back within the village. If he pushed he'd make it in three. Kakashi moved a little faster.

* * *

_Walls dripped with water. Pipes ran along the ceilings. The dim lighting flickered. Boiling water sloshed all the way up to his knees. Steam rose up from the hot liquid and caressed his face. Blonde hair felt slick with sweat and condensed water. _

_Naruto coughed and hacked as water entered his lungs. _

_He was so hot, his vision swirled around him, causing him to fall to his knees. _

"_**Naruto…" **__The demon's voice trilled. Naruto weakly lifted his head towards the voice coming from down the hallway, but didn't move from his spot, mainly because he couldn't. The hot water sloshed lazily against his chest. Naruto pushed against the wall, legs struggling to get up, before sinking into the water once more. _

"_**Wretched child… I'll drag you to hell with me." **__The demon moaned. Naruto let his head lean against the seal's walls. Darkness creped from all it's corners like arms reaching for him. He watched them, too tired to care, as they consumed the little dim light that resided in the hallways. _

"_Your just gonna let it take you?"__ Whispered a familiar voice. Naruto let his body slide till he sat in the water, leaning against the wall, water to his neck. His eyes took at the form that mirrored his own. Except with one difference… The eyes were shadowed in darkness. The other Naruto smiled at him even as the darkness drew closer._

"_Your giving up… Just like when you saw Syne in the Uzumaki diplomats home base. We're going to die as outcasts… Are you content with that?"__ The other Naruto whispered. Naruto simply ignored the thing in front of him and drew his legs closer. A whiskered cheek leaned against a soaking wet knee. Blonde hair dipped into the hot water. The other him walked over to Naruto and bent down in front of him, pushing bangs out of a sweaty face, and forcing a freezing cold hand against a too hot forehead._

"_You've always been weak. Always made me do all the hard stuff. I faced Syne for you and you can't even fight against her seal…"__ The other Naruto informed. __"Your nothing, but a shadow of me."__ With that the darkness finally surrounded the pair and swallowed them. _

"Naruto! Stay with me!" A booming voice screamed out.

_Naruto blinked. And blinked again. He wasn't in the seal anymore. _

"_Where am I?" The blonde croaked out as he stood up. _

_Naruto held his hands out in front of him. They were fine. He didn't feel sick or hot or even dizzy. He felt fine. Naruto stood up and looked around. He was… in a house. Not just any house though, _his _house. The house the Third promised him before he died. It was bright. Naruto shielded his eyes from the light as he cautiously walked through the hallways. Naruto stopped in his tracks when the sound of another set of footsteps sounded. _

"_Whose there?" The Jinchuuriki called out, hand reaching for his kunai pouch only to realize it wasn't there. _

_He could hear the steps getting closer. A woman walked around the corner. Naruto caught his breath and stared in shock. Long flowing red hair fell around the beautiful woman before him, with grayish brown eyes so intense he felt his insides shrivel up and rush up to his throat. He choked on air as he tried to speak. _

"_Mom?" Naruto's voice hitched as the word left his lips. _

_Kushina Uzumaki stared back at him with burning hatred. Red hair fell forward as she stepped forward toward him with arms dangling at her sides. Naruto took a step back. _

"_You killed me… if you just hadn't been born I would still be alive." Kushina hissed. _

"_I didn't mean… It's not my fault." Naruto defended, voice quivering. _

_Kushina lurched forward, moving like a marionette to it's master's whim rather than any of gravities laws. _

"_Everything has always been your fault!" The woman spat. "If you hadn't been born I would be alive. Your father would be alive. The village would be so much happier if you would just die!" _

_Naruto moved back as Kushina moved forward as if they were performing a strange ritualistic dance. Naruto shook his head in denial. _

"_It's not my fault. It's noT MY FAULT!" Naruto's voice rose in a scream. _

_The house began to crack and shake around them. Dust and debris began to fall from the ceiling. Wood splintered. Glass shattered. _

"_Oh… but it is. And you know it is. You can't deny what you did." Kushina hissed as she walked closer. _

"_I haven't done anything. I didn't do anything wrong." Naruto yelled. _

_Kushina moved forward, her hunched body leaning in till her nose nearly touched his. _

"_You did do something awful Naruto. You lived when you should have died." Kushina snarled. _

_And then they were falling. Naruto felt his body twist and his world spun. He threw his arms out to grab a hold of something, but the house was gone. _

"Let me go! Naruto Nii-san!"

_Naruto felt his body slam against something hard, yet no pain came. Naruto moved his head to the side and then to the other. The academy. He was in one of the taijutsu training rooms. Naruto pushed himself up dazedly, one leg beneath him with the other beside him in an awkward sitting position._

"_It was so easy to fool you, you know." A voice called. _

_Naruto looked up wearily to see the smirking visage of Mizuki. Mizuki his old taijutsu teacher and his old tutor. Mizuki… the man who tried to kill him the night of graduation. Naruto didn't move. _

"_A few weeks of after school tutoring… that's all I needed to gain your trust. For you to follow my words like a starving dog after meat. You've always been so unbearably pathetic and needy. I wanted to vomit after each session with you. Killing you now will be payback for having to listen to you talk… for having to be NEAR you for all that time." Mizuki moved forward and pulled the large shurikan strapped to his back off and away from his body. _

_The large weapon easily spun in the Chuunin's fingers as he brought it back behind him and like that night Naruto found he held no desire to dodge it, this time Iruka wouldn't save him from death either. _

"_You are a monster and no one, not Iruka or the village, will ever accept you because of that." The man spat out._

_The gray haired traitor's eyes gleamed in wild excitement as he let the large weapon let loose toward it's target. Naruto still didn't move and blinked in confusion as the weapon moved strait through him as if made of air. His head turned around and he followed the large shurikan as it slammed into the wall and disintegrated into nothingness. When Naruto looked back Mizuki was gone and in his place stood…_

"There's so much blood…He needs a blood transfusion! He's also suffered from a minor heart attack from a partially damaged chamber in the right side! Shizune, do you remember how to perform the Captive Restriction Seal?"

_Wie. The psychologist who lied to him, who manipulated him, hated him. Naruto stood up slowly as the old man moved to stand in front of him. The old man smiled kindly at him, just like back then, and offered him a hand. Naruto slapped it away and took a step back. _

"_Why are you so angry? I offered you something that would take the pain away." The man said softly. _

"_You hoped I would accidentally kill myself." Naruto answered. _

_The man only continued to smile. _

"_Is that really so different from what you actually wanted?" The man asked. _

_Naruto shuddered. No… it wasn't. Not really. _

"_I could see it in your eyes even at nine years old… No one wanted you. Not a single person in the world cared whether you lived or died. You were unnecessary, a burden on the lives of my people because of the danger you pose simply by living. You were a painful reminder of what we lost every time you walked down our streets." The old man's voice rasped. _

_Naruto shuddered again and backed far away from the man. The man still managed to smile kindly at him though. _

"_You should know that it's still true… and there is nothing you can do that will ever make it any less true." The man added. _

_It hurt. It all hurt. He thought he buried these feelings a long time ago, but they were back. All the hurt… all the anger and bitterness felt like it was rising up from the depths of an ocean to swallow him. Naruto breathed deeply, trying to push all of those horrible feelings down beneath his feet where they belonged. His heart felt like it was going to burst. The walls of the academy were melting away, but he didn't notice, so focused was he on keeping the pain at bay._

"_Its not true… not anymore." Naruto whispered. "I have friends. People I care about a lot…" _

_The old man only looked at him with an air of contempt. _

"_You care about them…" he allowed, "but do they care about you?"_

"God damn it! Stay with me Naruto! Please don't give up yet! Bring me numbing medication and ice! His temperature's still rising!"

_He could see his breath, but he wasn't cold. He was warm, more than was comfortable. Naruto looked around wearily to find himself in a street outside his old apartment. Despite his lack of cold he shivered. _

_Mosh's shadowed figure stepped out of one of the alleyways. Two woman, one old and the other young, stood a little ways down the street. The Chuunin with blonde hair and grey eyes stared him down from the opposite end of the street with a tomato in hand. Further behind the women and Chuunin on either side stood a crowd of dark figures he couldn't make out, but whose identity he knew. The villagers of Konoha. _

"_Its because you represent death. You were born in this world to be hated and no one will ever love you because you are unlovable." Mosh's harsh, high pitched grunt sounded through the streets as if they stood at the top of a mountain. _

_The younger woman took an uncertain step towards him, but the younger one stopped her. "You can't," the older said softly, "its him." The younger woman looked towards him with a flash of pity. "I know but… but he's hurt. We can't just leave him." The younger whispered. The older women shook her head, eyes cold as she eyed the broken child. "He probably started it himself." The older women dragged the younger away hurriedly into the crowd. _

"_So the monster is stealing now, ne?" The Blonde Chuunin asked mockingly. "The girl was right. Pink does look better on you… but we both know why red is even greater. Now why don't you be a good little brat and die already!" The young Chuunin threw the tomato, but unlike last time it just went strait through him instead of hitting his face. _

_The crowd began to murmur loudly. _

"_It seems even children his own age can't stand him."_

"_Can you blame them?"_

"_I wouldn't want to go near the wretch."_

"_He had it coming."_

"_Look at him, disgusting!"_

"_Don't go any closer!"_

"_I say we take an example from that man and…"_

"_Hey that's him!"_

"_Stay away from us!"_

"_Go away!"_

"_I heard he's the only one who failed."_

"_Serves him right… just think what would have happened if he became a shinobi!"_

"_Shhh… were not allowed to talk about it."_

"_I told you not to talk to him."_

"_If only you weren't here!"_

"_I hate everything about you!"_

"_I want revenge."_

"_That's him…"_

"_Leave us!"_

"_Disappear forever!"_

"_You are the Nine-tailed fox! It was you who killed Iruka's parents and nearly destroyed our village! No one will ever accept you!"_

_Naruto spun around, trying to find an escape, but the shadows stood on the roofs all around him as well. Naruto backed up till he stood against the only wall no shadows stood in front of and covered his ears. The shadows began to move closer to him, surrounding him and their murmurs became even louder, mixed and entangled, one. One voice. One opinion. One condemnation. One Judgment. One court. Konoha. _

The heat and pain came back at their touch. A scream ripped through his throat. His hands clenched. He was in the streets… no, on a bed. Hands were touching him. Faces above him. All blurred together. Naruto screamed in agony and tried to push them away, but the hands continued forcing their way to him.

He looked around. Metal. Needles. Scalps. Knives. Medical devices. He was in a hospital.

_His chest was open and there was so much blood and it hurt! He tried to move his lips to scream, but nothing came out. His fingers wouldn't move at his own command. They wouldn't move! He couldn't stop him! Why couldn't he move. Oh God it HURT! Make it stop! Please make it stop! _

Naruto let out another bloodcurdling scream and tried to pull up from the bed, but he was so hot and his body felt as if it weighed a ton. A blonde woman hovered over him with a needle.

_He wasn't suppose to be awake. The needle was suppose to put him to sleep! Jiji promised he'd be asleep. It wasn't suppose to hurt. He was suppose to go to sleep and wake up when it was over. Blood spurted up and pain, horrible piercing pain shot through his body. His mind automatically told his body that he should be screaming, but still he just lay there, staring up at the operating room's ceiling at the man who smirked down at him. He wanted to stab the man above him. He wanted to cry and sob. He wanted to run away. But his body wasn't responding. A sharp knife came into view and cut into his chest… _

No… not again. Not again. Not again. Naruto kicked out at someone, but they began to strap his legs done. There was blood. So much blood. He felt tears trickling down the side of his face. The blonde woman was there again. Her voice was incredibly soft as it whispered to him and he felt warm liquid hit his face. Tears ran down her face as she stared down at him.

_OH GOD! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP! It hurts! His mind willed his body to fight, to do something, to make it stop! He felt his eyes rolling into the back of his head. Darkness was finally creeping up on him. The medical knife pushed further into his chest. More blood. One of the men carefully pulled out part of his organ, suspending it in the air with a large red thing connecting it to the inside of his body. The main doctor carefully moved glowing green hands under the lifted red thing further inside. The worst pain of his life filled his body to the brim and finally… finally the darkness… came… to… him. He didn't care if he woke up anymore. _

The warm liquid fell onto his cheeks. Oddly he heard chimes. A rather pretty, familiar sound. He stilled and his vision cleared for a second. Soft brown, tear filled eyes. Then his body convulsed and suddenly all the pain was back and he screamed again. Everything became blurred once more.

"Febrile seizure." Someone shouted.

Something sharp found it's way into the side of his neck and he knew nothing more.

* * *

Long purple hair fluttered under a cat mask. Guruko didn't even take time to pause as the a fourth Anbu joined the squad Gai called. The dog lifted his nose in the air as the scent of early morning grass, dew still on the blades, with just the barest hint of peaches shifted northwest. Bark broke as the canine used the trunk of a tree to veer in the direction of their target. The four Anbu barely touched the trees as they followed the dog.

They were closing in. The smell of sweat was mixed in. The Anbu had used a great deal of chakra when she'd faced Naruto and Gai crippled her. She was no match for the five of them. It was merely a matter of how fast they caught up. Wolf-san's hands flashed through a series of seals, Guruko twitched a little, but otherwise didn't react as the complex genjutsu settled over the five of them.

Two miles from the target. Lion-san stopped in his tracks causing everyone else to pause and signaled to them. Up ahead. Sixteen meters. Series of traps. Cat-san moved her fingers into one specific hand seal and projected her hands forward. Large seals on the trees began to glow eerily. Lethal seals. Seven of them.

Two options then. If they happened to have a seals expert with them they could move strait through after they disabled them. If not… they would have to deviate by a whole six miles. Guruko growled lowly.

"No seal master here… but I've got something just as good. Well go right through this thing." Whispered Bird-san.

The shortest male of the group stepped forward and placed his hands into a seal familiar to Guruko. A cross.

"Shadow clone." Whispered Bird-san.

Seven shadow clones appeared. Guruko saw the man's shoulders slump slightly, but seemed well off despite the advanced, high taxing jutsu he just performed. Without a word the seven clones moved to each of the seals ahead. The group retreated farther back into the woods away from the soon to be detonated forest area.

Guruko's ears flinched as a loud explosion rocked the area followed by a wave of chakra from a triggered jutsu. So Syne used a combination of delayed and sealed explosives with an earth style swamp. Damn. That was impressive. Guruko could see the trees sinking into the forest floor before them. That woman… was very irritating. She forced them to go around her traps anyways by changing the landscape. Normal swamps were easy to traverse, but those laced with chakra could and would suck a shinobi in by attaching itself to their chakras.

Beside him Bird-san cursed. Guruko agreed, but rather than state that fact he simply began moving the team in the fastest direction around the traps. If she spent so much time simply trying to delay them then she must have been really wounded by Gai's attack.

* * *

When the academy let out Konohamaru and Udon went to the tree to wait for Moegi. There were only two reasons why one of the three of them would be missing school while the other two went and that was if one of them were sick or Moegi's whining mother decided to torment Moegi with _fashion, shopping, and clothes. _Fifteen minutes was the open waiting time. If Moegi didn't show up within that time it meant they would either have to visit her at her home or rescue her from her mother.

Udon sat on the swing and began to idly push back and forth while Konohamaru sat on the ground in an agitated huff. He wasn't really the patient type of person. The time seemed to go by excruciatingly slow for the pair, more so for Udon because Konohamaru kept asking for the time every three minutes, until the glasses wearing academy student threw it at the other boy's head.

When the fifteen minute mark ended they began trudging down the road. The sound of rushed footsteps sounded behind them, but the pair paid little heed. Ninja seemed to always be rushing everywhere for one reason or another. So it was a great deal of startlement to both boys when a body crashed into Konohamaru.

Konohamaru let out a manly shriek of surprise and attempted to pull the thing off of him. It pulled at him and he could hear choked whispers as if the thing above him was trying to talk, but couldn't. Finally getting a good look at the thing he realized it was Moegi. He stopped fighting her as she began to pull him down the way with Udon following behind. They could only see her orange hair and slightly ruffled clothes as her hand continued to tug at him.

"Moegi stop! What are you doing?" Konohamaru demanded.

Moegi turned causing both boys to stop and stare. The little girl was a mess. Her hair was in disarray, a large chunk of it falling out to the side, and the left ponytail lopsided. Her eyes were very red and puffy as if she'd been crying for hours and her lips were trembling as she tried to talk, but failed. It was only now Konohamaru noticed that his friends hand that held on so tightly was also shaking terribly.

"What's wrong? Did something bad happen to your mom?" Udon asked.

Moegi just shook her head and grabbed Udon's arm as well. She began tugging on the both of them to follow her and they did. They'd never seen Moegi this bad off before. It took several minutes for Konohamaru to recognize the path that they were on. They were heading towards the Hokage's tower.

"They're… moving him." Moegi choked out from ahead of them and subconsciously pulled harder to get them there faster.

"Moving who?" Konohamaru asked.

"Na… I… he's been in the operating room all day and then that lady came out covered in blood and… and she said he woke up for a few moments and started freaking out and something was hurting him… and… and…" Moegi blubbered on, crying and choking on her words even as she continued to pull.

"Who… what's gong on?" Konohamaru finally snapped.

Moegi spun around.

"Naruto. He's really sick and hurt Kono." Moegi got out.

Konohamaru froze.

Naruto got worse after he left with Iruka?

The child let the hand not clutched by Moegi clench shut and fingers dig into the skin. He knew he should have stayed with Naruto. He knew it the first time he saw the blonde in the streets and then that stupid prank yesterday that those stupid girls did. He saw Naruto then and how badly off he was and he still just did whatever Naruto told him. If Naruto was fighting a big scary dragon all by himself and on deaths door he would still tell them to go to class or not to worry… that was just how he was.

Konohamaru began to run, along with Udon and Moegi, toward the tower. When they burst through the doors several frazzled Chuunin merely looked up before ignoring them. Moegi looked around, unsure of where they were suppose to go, before looking at Konohamaru and Udon helplessly.

"Where did they say they were going to bring him to?" Konohamaru asked.

"They… the Lady said that she was taking him to the emergency care room of the tower, but I don't know…" Moegi began, but was interrupted.

"I know where. I used to live here remember?" Konohamaru said with a cheeky grin.

Moegi smiled as Konohamaru took them down the left hallway. Konohamaru then opened up the third door down and brought them to a staircase that went down. Down then right and to a second staircase, but even though it was underground the place was well light and homey.

"This place was built as part of the living quarters of the Hokage and their family. The emergency care room was built for those of the Hokage and their family either giving birth or in need of medical care for safety purposes. It was believed that an enemy would have a far harder time trying to kidnap a weakened Hokage if they were in a place like this." Konohamaru explained.

Konohamaru slowed down as they near the end of the hallway their were traveling down and stared at the door just in front of them. The sounds of voices could be heard behind it. For once Konohamaru didn't barge in. He understood how terrible the consequences of doing such a thing were. Instead he motioned for Moegi and Udon to sit in the pair of chairs outside of the room and took the floor.

The three waited there.

Sparely talking or moving as if they feared such normalcy would cause something horrible to happen. An hour passed by without a single person coming from the room beside them. Finally, just before the second hour mark, the door creaked open and a tired looking brunet woman came out of the room with bloody gloves. The three children stiffened.

The woman who Konohamaru recognized as Shizune stiffly rip the gloves off and sank to the floor in exhaustion. She did not care where the gloved landed at the moment only that they were away from her. Her hands found themselves on her knees as she breathed deeply in and out.

Konohamaru got up from the floor and very cautiously tapped the woman's arm. Shizune jerked up and glared at the person. Konohamaru took several steps back in fear, but relaxed as he saw the woman's own features soften in regret.

"Sorry." She whispered tiredly.

Konhamaru hesitated, looking back at Moegi and Udon who gaze him encouraging nods.

Konohamaru turned back and gently sat in front of the woman.

"Can you tell us about Naruto nii-san?" Konohamaru asked softly.

Shizune squeezed her eyes shut, but nodded.

"He's… We managed to temporarily stabilize him, but it will only last for a week, a week and a half tops. There's a seal on Naruto's body that's trying to kill him. I performed a special seal that slows down the others affects to a certain degree, but if we can't figure out how to take the seal off that's killing him in time…" Shizune trailed off.

Konohamaru felt numb. He could hear Moegi start to sob again in the background and Udon start to sniffle as the boy held back tears. Not Naruto. Not his big brother. He'd already lost his grandfather… he couldn't lose Naruto too. Konohamaru tried to breath, but he was having a great deal of difficulty.

People began coming out of the room beside him, but he didn't care. He felt Shizune wrap her arms around him, but he didn't care. He distantly could recall seeing the current Hokage, Tsunade, wrap his friends in a tight embrace, a grim expression on her face. He didn't care. He felt as if he was hallow. Numb. He couldn't feel anything. Even when tears fell from his eyes and soaked his shirt he could hardly be bothered with it. There was only one thing that mattered to him at the moment. He had to see his big brother.

Konohamaru gently pushed away from Shizune and ran towards the emergency care room.

"Wait! Don't go in there yet!" Tsunade yelled at his retreating back.

Konohamaru pulled the door open and rushed inside, Tsunade hot on his heals, but she wasn't fast enough to stop him from seeing. The boy stopped in his tracks and cried out.

There Naruto was, but there was dried blood everywhere and he was hooked up to a lot of machines. A breathing mask covered his mouth and an IV drip with a bag of clear liquid sat next to the bed. Naruto was still in Iruka's oversized and now torn up clothes. The shirt had been ripped open so that Naruto's bear chest was revealed; an ugly black and bloody seal over the area of his heart. Pads were connected to his skin with wires that were plugged in to a strange machine making lines. What caught Konohamaru's eye though were the ribs poking out and the stomach too far in.

Dried blood, where now healed gashes lay, stuck to the unusually pale skin. A large trail of hard red liquid started at the blonde's cracked lips to slide down his mouth and neck. Specks of blood from coughing spread everywhere around extremely dirty blonde hair. Naruto's eyes were closed and scrunched up in pain. Sweat poured heavily from the older boy's brow and his breathing seemed rather harsh.

"Naruto!" Konohamaru breathed loudly.

The boy ran up to the bed and gently shook Naruto's shoulder, but the blonde only winced in his sleep. Konohamaru took a step back, staring hard at Naruto, before whirling on the woman that stood at the door.

"Make him better! That's your job right?" Konohamaru demanded.

Konohamaru saw Tsunade's eyes draw together in irritation and her mouth fall firmly in grimness. The woman walked over to Naruto and stroked the boy's hair out of his face with a loving care before she finally looked Konohamaru in the eyes.

"This isn't simply a sickness that came up by chance boy. Naruto's been sick for years… longer than he's known either you or I. We don't have any information on it. We are working from scratch… and based on how hard Naruto tried to hide it… I'm guessing he won't be willing to tell us anything about it." Tsunade told him sternly.

"But…" A voice sounded from the door. Tsunade and Konohamaru turned to see Moegi, standing in front of Udon, a look of confusion spread across her face. The Sarutobe only now remembering that his friends were here as well. "Why wouldn't Naruto nii-san tell anyone? Why would he hide it if he was hurting? I don't understand." Moegi whispered.

Tsunade shook her head in dismay.

"The seal on his chest suggests that it wasn't Naruto's choice. From what I gather someone was threatening him with death if he said anything. Apparently someone found out and activated it's death sentence, but what else all this may entail… well, your guess would be as good as mine." Tsunade said softly.

She did have a few ideas, but she would not mention any in front of these young ones.

"Is Naruto nii-san going to wake up?" Udon asked from in front of a tired Shizune.

"Probably not till later on tonight." Shizune answered. "We've only prolonged the seals purpose. Naruto is still dying. That means he's extremely sick and won't be able to say or do much." Shizune said, attempting to explain current events to the young children.

It was painful though, admitting events out loud. While in the operating room and having the realization of what was happening one could simply focus on the work and ignore said facts until there was no longer anything to do.

Konohamaru glared at the adults in the room.

"Why are you just standing here then?" The young Sarutobe demanded. "Find a way to fix him! Make him better! Do something! Don't you care at all?"

He suddenly felt himself lifted from the ground by a strong hand. His eyes forced to look into a set of furious light brown filled with pain and anguish. Tsunade held him tightly by the front of his shirt with a shaking fist.

"I have spent the last 5 hours pulling every medical trick out of my ass just to temporarily stabilize him. Shizune performed a dangerous sealing technique that requires nearly every drop of her chakra over a period of four hours without a single laps of concentration. Naruto's heart failed on us twice! He needed a blood transfusion and his fever was so high we could have baked something on his body. I will not have some snot nosed brat tell ME that I have not done everything in my power to help him." Tsunade seethed.

She dropped the boy on the ground and turned toward Naruto. Her hand touched Naruto's cheek and caressed it. Konohamaru winced and looked away as he saw droplets hit Naruto's face and the hand there start to wrinkle as the last bit's of her chakra dissipated.

"Get out. At least until I clean up Naruto and this room" Tsunade said tiredly.

They did. Without a single word more. Moegi gripped Konohamaru's right hand while Udon took the left. They would wait together.

* * *

Guruko's teeth ripped into flesh. A scream filled the air. The woman went down hard as a large chunk of her shoulder separated from bone. Guruko let flesh and blood spill from his mouth as Syne attempted forming a single handed seal for an earth jutsu. Four Anbu surrounding her and heavily wounded she still refused to give in.

She never finished her seals. A sword from Cat-san pierced her hand and pinned it to the ground. Bird-san's kunai touched the base under her chin while Lion-san brought wire out to wrap around the prisoner. Wolf-san whispered into his radio, informing headquarters of the capture of the traitor.

"_Best not allow any chance of escape." _Guruko growled, drawing closer.

The wolf like dog lunged forward once more, aiming for the woman's leg, and catching it between his teeth. Biting down hard and yanking upward the sickening sound of bone against bone followed by a crack echoed in the forest. A woman's bloodcurdling scream following suit. Guruko let out a satisfied snicker. He'd not just broken her leg, but done it upwards in the most painful way possible.

Three Anbu stared at him blankly. Guruko simply turned and began trotting back towards Konoha. Jaws still dripping with Synes blood. The purple haired Anbu, Cat-san, merely shrugged at the other three before explaining.

"Kakashi's dog. Not Inuzukas."

The three Anbu nodded. Hatake was not known for his… mercy. Especially when one of his own was threatened.

* * *

The room was clean. Naruto was in a nice, if a bit large, hospital gown. All the blood was gone. Shizune had left her alone with the blonde a few minutes ago. Tsunade silently thanked her. Her hand went to Naruto's pained face and her throat hitched. She felt it constrict unpleasantly as she tried to not let the sob escape.

Why hadn't she seen it sooner? She'd seen it… but she hadn't done anything. It was true she'd not known the true extent of his sickness, but she should have tried harder to figure it out.

Screw Konoha law!

So what if Naruto was a full fledged adult in the eyes of Konoha!

Who cared that he was legally entitled to privacy because of his citizenship!

He was a 13 year old child for goodness sake.

She'd always been against creating ninja's so young. She'd voted time and again to have students stay at D-rank missions for at least two years and only C-rank missions for two years after that. A medical specialist on each team. That's how it should be. Keep the kids safe, the adults within medical reach, and the casualties down to a minimal.

He was still running a fever… His skin was slick with sweat and his face scrunched up with pain. And there was nothing she could do about it. At the moment her eyelids were falling shut from exhaustion and chakra loss. She knew she would have to sleep for several hours before she could start looking for a cure. Knew the sooner she slept the sooner she'd be able to begin but… It was so hard to leave him.

Tsunade sighed heavily. Her hand squeezed Naruto's as she stood up to leave, but froze as the hand squeezed back softly. Tsunade turned her neck so fast there was a popping sound. The hand in hers squeezed weakly again.

"Naruto? Sweety, can you hear me." Tsunade asked.

Glazed, half lidded eyes opened. Lips moved and cracked. Blood trickling down. Tsunade immediately bent down to hear the nearly nonexistent whisper.

"Obaa-chan." The soft voice croaked.

Tears came to her eyes and she stroked Naruto's bangs away from his face again as she sat down on the bed beside him.

"Shhhhh… don't try to talk. The medicine hasn't even fully kicked in yet. You'll be able to sit up and talk tonight, but not yet. Your body's still exhausted." Tsunade told him softly.

Naruto merely nodded in response. The hand that held hers lifted up until it touched her cheek and he smiled tiredly up at her through the evident pain.

"Even without your silly henge your still pretty Obaa-chan." Naruto whispered softly.

Tsunade's eyes widened and then softened as Naruto's hand dropped and his eyes closed in unconsciousness.

"Naruto…"

* * *

A/N: The Main goal I had for this chapter was to give everyone's view point before they find out anything and some of the finding out scenes that we all love so much. Sasuke… I believe that these are truly the thoughts that were going through his mind… I was trying to make it as realistic as possible. I don't think Sasuke is a bad person (despite what everyone may think by how I've portrayed him, I simply think he's immensely confused at this point). I'm pretty sure I did a good job describing Sasuke's state of mind (perhaps to good considering how long that scene is, but I wanted to get all of the thoughts down. And the portion that's slightly jumbled and has a lot of italics? Before you ask it's a feverish nightmare while he's being taken to the hospital and while he's in the hospital AND the last portion are flashbacks of his first operation if some of you were confused.

OH! I had a reviewer who asked why Naruto acted so different when facing Syne. Well I gave the explanation in this chapter… It was dark Naruto or Yin Naruto that faced Syne. Do you guys remember how when Naruto faced dark Naruto he said it was because of him that he was able to be so strong? Well this is my interpretation of that. Dark Naruto comes to the surface when regular Naruto simply can't take it any more.

Another bit: Naruto is NOT suicidal. It was just a depressive thought that got through accidentally within The Thirds hearing.


	17. KFR: 1Interrogation

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

**As it turns out I'm going to a tournament for Forensics next weekend. I won't be ABLE to post. So you guys get it all a week early. **

You've all been so patiently waiting for this moment, ne? Sorry it took so long for him to make his appearance. I hope I wrote it to match up to all of your expectations. I really wasn't happy with the chapter. I kept looking over it and going… it's not good enough! Then pretty much starting from scratch… so yeah. NOW I'm satisfied.

We're nearing the end of the first part so it's at this time that I would like to make a request. Can you please tell me, as the readers, what you would like to see more of, less of or just of in the next part? I've already started writing bits and pieces and my outline of the next part won't be changed, but I will take into consideration (as I always attempt to do) of what you guys think and want. Though I will not include pairings. As I've said before I don't pair 13 year olds.

(I divided it into **two shorter parts **because it simply got so long. I know it gets hard, going to school, work, dates, whatever… and then having no idea where your place is in a chapter when you go back to it. So this will be simpler. I also title them differently so that you can simply read it and say… Aha! That's the one I was in!)

Chapter 17: Kakashi finally returns!

Part 1: Interrogation

_She caressed him. Her hands gently strayed, exploring __everywhere__. His back leaned against something, a cupboard, his skin irritated by the uneven surface. He noticed none of this though because his body felt only the sharp tingle of frostbite. __She took his fingers in her hands and turned them over, examining the nasty frostbites that covered them. He whimpered slightly when she bent them tentatively, testing the damage.__ He had the small inkling that they were in a bathroom within her home, but nothing else filtered through except the stillness of his own body. He'd been moving for so long that it was strange to him, this feeling of inactivity, yet his body felt as if it moved. _

_No… That wasn't right. _

_It didn't feel the same as his feet taking one more step to one more apartment building. It didn't feel the same as curling in a ball beneath an overhang in the dead of night. It didn't feel the same as forcing his fingers to close after they started turning colors. He was still, but his body hurt. It was as if the tiny cells of his skin were moving in opposite directions and was twisting him. That was it. _

_Dark hair cascaded down on top of his chest as she leaned forward and touched her lips to his cracked and bloody ones. He protested weakly, moving one arm in front of him to push her off, as she gently pulled with her teeth. Tears slid down his cheeks at the sudden sharp pain that burst forth from them. _

_She pulled away and dipped her hand into the water basin beside her, pulling out a cloth from its warm depths, and bringing it up to his left arm. She'd been doing this for a while; interchanging between washing and warming his frostbitten and starved body to doing strange things that he didn't understand or like. _

_He knew that what she just did was called a kiss… but it didn't look like what he saw grownups do to children. Grownups kiss a child on the cheek, it was always quick, and they didn't bite as far as he knew. He'd seen grownups do it to each other though, this kind of kiss, so maybe he was just being silly. Maybe it wasn't bad. It didn't feel right though. _

_Fire encased his fingers. Naruto let out a moan of pain as she began moving the cloth around his purple fingers. Her hands glowed green as she did this and even though the pain didn't go away it did lessen. _

_She offered no words of comfort and he didn't expect them from her. He long ago stopped expecting adults to be nice to him. He remembered some things that Sakura said to him a few months ago when they were in the classroom after one of his pranks. She'd lectured him about how if you were a good person and did what adults said that they would be nice to you. Sakura was a liar though, it didn't matter how you acted, it was about who you are. _

_He was an orphan with no money or status. He was the one the council wanted imprisoned for simply being alive. Random people he'd never met in his life insulted him in the streets for no apparent reason. His guardian didn't want him and refused to tell him why everyone hated him. So Sakura was a liar. _

_Sharp brown eyes looked into his before she moved further down and touched his neck with her lips. There was a strange feel there and he couldn't help but feel disgusted. It felt like she was sucking on his neck… His hands moved awkwardly on the ground as he attempted to pull away from her, but the anbu's hand simply shot out and held him still by putting pressure on his shoulder. _

_He stilled. She was trained in medical jutsu… and he had no one else to turn to. Stay and endure or leave and die. It wasn't as if she was hurting him. She wasn't hitting him or whacking him with bottles like the drunks in that alley did. She didn't turn him away when he needed help like all those other people did. All she was doing was touching him. He didn't like it, but it was better than any other option. _

* * *

Blood from an open leg wound followed the trail of a woman being dragged into a dark chamber area and shackled to the north wall. Black hair cascaded forward, hiding beautiful features, and a twisted smile. Mask covered shadows bowed to the darkness before retreating from the room with a loud, echoing thud of the chamber door. A bandana covered head appeared under the only light in the room.

Heavy booted footsteps moved closer to the woman and cupped her chin. Pulling the face up harshly to him the man turned it slowly as if examining a piece of meat. White teeth flashed in a malicious grin as Ibiki Morino leaned close to Syne Fagan's face.

"Why don't you speak? You're really no fun this way." Ibiki commented idly.

Syne simply stared back up at him with slight insanity creeping into her brown eyes. Ibiki knew the kind. She wasn't all there. Getting her talking would be the easy part. The hard part came in getting her to speak important information and discerning what the important information was among the rubbish.

"So that's your attitude? Fine. Then I will make you want to speak." Ibiki stated calmly. "Summoning! Torture Chamber!"

Absolute darkness surrounds them for the briefest of moments and then... Four chains appear out of nowhere and capture each one of the inhabitants limbs in a tight hold. Light floods the once dark chamber revealing a large metal cage like box coming to life and surrounding them. Spikes and sharp metal clocklike devices poke out from its sides. Chains wrap around the box itself, an image of no escape.

"I'll loosen your mouth." Ibiki whispers, but the words resonate loudly in the torture box.

A clock of light appears around the box, and begins to tick ominously, reminding the captor of every second that goes by within the chamber. The floor of the cage chamber opens up.

"And you'll tell us your secrets."

Gears appear within the opened floow, like the inside of a clock, and wires spring forth from their mechanisms as well as the cage itself. The wire wraps itself tightly around its victim, cutting into the skin. Syne screams, her back attempting to arch, but her bounds keeping her body from moving. She gasps for air and glares up at the interrogation specialist.

"Already pulling out the big guns Ibiki. My, my someone is in a rush." Syne hisses out.

Ibiki nods in agreement.

"You know several of my tricks… I see no point in playing around when the clock is ticking." Ibiki states, gesturing to their surroundings with a smirk. "Now… you will tell me how to remove the seal placed on Uzumaki Naruto."

Syne smirks.

"You care what happens to my little Jinchuuriki then?" The woman asks in amusement.

The sound of ticking grows even louder, filling the room to the brim as Ibiki's hands flash through a series of seals. Syne bites her lip and gasps. Just as the wire pulls on Syne invisible wires tug against Ibiki's skin as well. His clothes where the unseen metal wraps around him hug him snugly. The gears begin to move faster and the wire tightens. The body starts to slow down the gears as they attempt to pull harder.

"Pain is the most reliable form of communication." Ibiki informs the woman before him. "Let me feel your pain too."

"Are you really so interested in what I've done to the tramp?" Syne gasps through the pain. "I'll tell."

Ibiki allowed his fingers to loosen slightly, but not all the way. Enough to talk, but still tight enough to remind her of what she will face otherwise.

Syne smiled wistfully.

"I remember him coming back to the apartment building once… proudly holding a test with a C on it in his hands. He was so adorable. He came to me and told me all about it, because you see, I am the closest thing he has to family. I indulged him a little, let him believe I cared, and then invited him to dinner in my home as congratulations. He accepted of course, the desperate little slut."

Ibiki continued looking on indifferently, but inwardly he felt unease.

"During dinner I tore him down. Asked what his friends thought of his test grade when we both knew he had none. Questioned how well the other students did when we both knew they did better. I pondered why the students don't like him and started commenting on his appearance. He's always been so self-conscious about his looks. It was so much fun."

Ibiki tightened the wires a bit. Syne breathed in sharply, but never lost the look of twisted pleasure in her eyes.

"After that he was like putty in my hands. I told him that even if no one else could like or stand him that I could. I forced him against the wall, but a few short whispers and a hugging embrace stopped his resistance. You should have seen him Ibiki, so desperate for any kind of affection. I didn't even have to tell him I loved him, just that I _liked_ him, and he was mine." Syne told Ibiki.

"You molested him during his academy days?" Ibiki questioned, refraining from gritting his teeth.

"On occasions. On others I fucked him, beat him, slept with him… whatever I felt like at the time." Syne answered casually.

The wires tightened around them both again. Syne struggled and screamed as the metal cut into her wounded leg. Sweat caused her hair to stick to her forehead as she jerked to the side against the wire.

"The seal Syne. How do you remove it?" Ibiki repeated.

"Ah… huh… angry?" Syne asked through hard won breaths. "He… didn't fight… me much. Huff. Huff. He even… got me a… present… huff… huff… for my birthday once. Hehehehe… He cried when I thanked him you know? Huff. Huff. Didn't put up a… Huh… fight when I took him." Syne announced with a grin on her lips.

Ibiki inwardly scowled. It was going to be a long night of picking up little hints from individual twisted stories. A combination of torture and manipulation to get her to make something slip. And with people whose minds were obviously not all there… it was even harder to tell the truth from lies for biased recollections.

The main problem was… he could see Naruto being that desperate. He'd known Naruto as a waiter in a shady bar for four years and as a genin for one. The desperation that surrounded that boy was palpable. Ibiki had known for several years now that the first person to sincerely befriend Naruto would have the blonde's utmost devotion and loyalty. And that was an analysis from a distance.

Ibiki tightened the wires.

* * *

"Jeraiya-sama!" A voice called from behind him.

The old white haired man sighed as he turned his eyes away from the rather large… eyed woman pouring water down her… face. Yeah… that's it.

"What is it? Can't you see I'm a little busy?" The man asked in exasperation.

"It's Naruto sir… Tsunade-sama demands your presence immediately to assist the situation." The Chuunin, Kotetsu if he wasn't mistaken, said.

Jeraiya turned around; annoyance replaced with a deep worry, and narrowed his eyes.

"Situation? What's wrong? What happened to Naruto?" The Sannin demanded.

"He's in critical condition from both an assault and some type of advanced seal mark on his chest. Tsunade wants you to examine it immediately to see if there is a way to remove it or if you can simply give her more information." The young Chuunin explained hurriedly.

"Lead the way." Jeraiya responded.

The two took off. A grim frown touched his lips as he noticed the young man shaking slightly from nerves. Whatever happened must have been bad… To put Naruto in such a condition when the boy possessed an advanced healing ability would require a great deal of stress to his chakra coils. Any physical assault on the boy, if it posed a threat to his life, would heal instantly otherwise.

Jeraiya was surprised that the young man lead him to the Hokage's tower rather than the hospital, but then he remembered the incident Tsunade talked about occurring several years ago. Naruto wouldn't be able to handle it if he woke up within that building and would probably freak out and make healing him dangerous.

When they walked in the two made their way down the two sets of stairs and towards the hall. Shizune and those brats Naruto was fond of were there. Jeraiya felt himself jerk in surprise when Tsunade walked out of the room in front of them. Her diamond was gone and her henge had fallen. To be forced to use so much chakra…

She caught his eye. Jeraiya felt something grip him deep inside. There was fear in those light brown eyes he'd come to love. Fear he hadn't seen since the incident with Orochimaru when the woman stood above his student attempting to bring him back from a faltering heart.

"What should I know before I go in there?" Jeraiya asked coolly.

Years on the battlefield aided in being able to handle situations, personal or otherwise, with calculation rather than rash emotion. Tsunade was the same.

"Fever that refuses to break. Difficulty breathing. Body tremors. One seizure with a threat of reoccurrence. Severe internal damage caused by his own chakra attacking his organs believed to be caused by the seal directly over his heart that's been temporarily healed. The process has been severely slowed down from its original intent, to kill him, by a special seal implemented by Shizune. Lacerations have been healed. Bruised cardio muscles healed. One cracked rib healed. All bruising healed. Seal proven to be long termed, he's had it on him for a few years, not much we can say other than that though." Tsunade finished.

The woman wavered as she straightened. Jeraiya didn't hesitate in his steps as he moved forward. He caught the woman and supported her as her eyes became half lidded and body shook with evident exhaustion.

"Good job Hime. I'll see what I can do. Go to sleep now." Jeraiya said quietly.

Jeraiya motioned for Kotetsu to come over and gently picked up their exhausted Hokage. She didn't protest, which more than anything else spoke of how much chakra and physical energy she'd used. The man nervously stepped forward and gently took her from the Sannin's hands.

"Take her upstairs to her bed and don't let anyone bother her for anything. Get Genma to fetch Iruka Umino. Tsunade mentioned the man was the only one on Naruto's emergency contact list." Jeraiya ordered. "Shizune… go get some rest as well. I know enough about medical jutsu to be able to tell if something bad is happening. I'll come get you if anything occurs." The man told the Jounin sitting on the ground.

He didn't wait to see Shizune get up or the Chuunin disappear down the hall with his old teammate nor did he bother to look at the three pairs of eyes watching his back intently. Jeraiya turned and breathed deeply before opening the door and walking inside.

Jeraiya's eyes immediately zoned in on the 13 year old lying motionless on the bed. He'd long ago lost the instinct to shudder at all the medical equipment attached to a human body. Still it unnerved him to hear the wheezing breath of Minato's son as his lungs struggled to take in air. Really… it didn't matter how many years of experience one had it still hurt to lose someone you loved as if it were the first. He was far too old to be losing his godson at such a young age.

When Tsunade put the medical clothes on she'd chosen a shirt that opened down the middle since the seal was concentrated over the heart. Jeraiya gingerly brushed his thumb over the top of Naruto's eyes before pulling the blanket back to expose the boy's chest.

Surprisingly it was not the grisly black seals that pulsed against pale skin that made him catch his breath. Instead his hand went to the exposed ribs first. He knew Guruko's explanation of an extended 'cold' had been bullshit, but he'd not thought it was this serious. He could count the four bottom ribs and his stomach went in a bit. The pants were too big on Naruto's frame so he could tell that even the beginning of the boy's hip bones were visible.

Jeraiya forced himself to focus on the seal instead. He could distinctly tell that the large circular seal glowing faintly was Shizune's work. It was quite a beauty, probably a design of Kushina's if he had to guess, with intricate layers and partial designs finished with two rings encircling the outsides. A containment seal with multipurpose layers. The current layer most in use was the one designed to slow down the properties of the mystery seal. For General use containment it was very versatile.

Jeraiya placed his hand carefully on the faintly glowing seal in the middle of the containment seal. To fully figure out it's dynamics he would have to force the full seal to show itself. He focused his chakra and allowed it to flow into the seal. It glowed red as it fought with his chakra. Naruto's breath hitched and the machine monitoring the boy's heart began beating faster.

Jeraiya pushed on. Stopping now would only mean having to do this to Naruto again. The seal glowed brighter and steam began to rise as it burned Naruto's skin. The boy's back arched in pain and the wheezing breath grew harsher and faster. Jeraiya grimaced in guilt.

"Sorry Naruto." The man whispered as he forced more chakra in.

The seal began to expand across Naruto's skin. The boy thrashed from side to side, forcing Jeraiya to keep the boy's body still by holding it down with his other hand.

"Just a little while longer kid, almost done."

The seal crawled over skin, the markings spreading all the way across his shoulders and encircling his neck before finally stopping. Naruto stopped thrashing, but his breathing remained labored.

The Sannin looked around the room before removing his hand from Naruto's chest. The seal remained. Taking a cloth from a nearby counter Jeraiya dipped it into a bowl of water placed near the bed. He guessed for relief from the fever. He gently dabbed away all the blood making the designs clear.

Jeraiya cursed loudly as he saw the designs. A three part contract seal. Well… it certainly explained a few things. The first portion was a seal similar to the kind Danzo used on his subordinates. A silencer. Naruto wouldn't be able to talk about the contract or what it entailed outside of a certain range from the person who made the contract.

The second and third portion was far more mysterious to him. He recognized only a few of their components. A chakra manipulation symbol that was heavily intertwined with the symbol for fire (which might explain the burning Tsunade talked about). And then, strangely enough, a series of key levels. Ten of them with the last one leading into the third portion of the seal. The last symbol he recognized was the long term use seals outlining the second portion. The rest of it was unfamiliar to him.

Jeraiya took out a pad of paper and began to sketch out the full seal, gently moving Naruto's body when the time came to copy the back portion of the seal. His hand left the sweat covered back as he carefully placed his godson back onto the bed.

Jeraiya stood, looking back and forth from paper to person, before nodding to himself. He had a few contacts that were well acquainted with seals, not to his extent, but still fairly well. The thing about seals was that there were so many to use and manipulate that one seal master knew only a portion of seals while another knew another portion. It all depended on what kind of seal master you wanted to be; Containment, Storage, Medical, Elemental type one or two (actually elements or created such as jutsu), Soul (separation, mental connection, bounding (Inuzuka)), Suppression (of chakra), Change (appearance, physical/full body, landscape, item), Merge (with weapon or otherwise), Blockage (used to disrupt other seals), Supplementary, Body (torture, destroying bloodlines, monitoring, silencers, movement). Many times each section leads into the other, intermingling, and dependent of one another.

And then when you went into subcategories; short-term, long-term, and permanent seals. Which then leads into the main element being used for the seals: water, fire, earth, wind or lightning. After that were the finer details such as pattern, design, and what not. Each one of the hand seals every day ninja's used were tiny parts of weaving together a full seal and then using chakra manipulation to move into a certain category. Of course most ninja were unaware of this, but they knew the gist. It all got very complicated. The point was that there was a good chance one of his contacts knew something about this that he did not.

Jeraiya was what one would call a General Master. He knew a little of everything though if asked he would not hesitate to say his favorites were Containment and Storage. A Contract Seal fell under Body, Soul or Medical. Once in a while you'd find one that went into a different section, but it was rare.

Jeraiya put chakra into the seal and allowed it to retract. Naruto made a soft noise of protest as the seal burned again, but did not awaken. The man stood straight before walking across the room and opening the door. He peeked outside the room at the three children still waiting.

"Shhhhh," Jeraiya whispered as he waved his hand for the children to come in.

The orange haired little girl shook the glasses wearing little boy awake even while the Thirds grandson rushed by him. Jeraiya sat down at a table in the corner of the room, beginning to right out copies requesting his 'friends' appearances.

* * *

Iruka walked into the little emergency facility and passed four small pairs of eyes to the bed. Behind him Kotetsu Hogane stood by the door respectfully distant as his eyes searched for Jeraiya's form and finding him absent. Iruka leaned forward and watched the air mask fog up with breath before he allowed himself to breathe as well. The academy teacher nearly collapsed into the chair beside the bed and rubbed his hands over his face. He let out a shaky breath that came back in as a shaky sob still covered in French toast batter.

Kotetesu remembered Iruka's expectant and weary voice demanding to know what happened the moment the man touched down in the streets in front of him. He'd been hoping Jeraiya could explain it to the academy teacher when they got there, but Iruka's face simply said 'tell me.' It was stern and scared and desperate all at the same time.

Dark tresses of hair fell into his eyes as Kotetsu sighed and cracked his neck to relieve some of his pent up stress. On their way down he received a report from one of Ibiki's men that Kakashi's ninja hound, Guruko, was reporting to one of their men. The dog would be down soon enough.

Out of the corner of his eye Kotetsu saw something move. Startled, the young man turned to see a large multicolored toad sitting directly behind Iruka on a small table. Apparently Iruka managed to sit squarely in the line of sight of the toad because it huffed in irritation before leaping to a chair across the room. The Third's grandson jumped in surprise, but made not a sound as the summon settled down on the armchair to continue its watch. No doubt the child was use to the odd creatures since the boy spent so much time with Naruto.

So Jeraiya was keeping watch. He should have known. Kotetsu strayed for a moment before heading down the halls. If you can't do anything for the injured then move your ass and do something useful with your time. He'd learned that a long time ago. Sitting and waiting for someone to recover or die just messes with your mind.

So he made himself useful, performing his duties around the tower for the rest of the day, until he caught sight of someone in front of Lady Tsunade's office. Sakura Haruno sat waiting for a teacher that would not be coming, completely unaware of the situation down stairs, with hand supporting chin and a bored expression on her face.

Kotetsu took several steps back from the rosette before hurriedly looking around the halls. He'd already been _growled _at by Umino Iruka, he would not face _this_. No, absolutely not. He could not, would not, face telling the genin's teammate too. That's when he spotted him.

His best friend came around the corner carrying a large box marked storage. Kotetsu forced a smile on his face as he walked over to the shorter man and took the box from him. Izumo nodded gratefully, but there was a suspicious gleam in his eyes.

"Our Lady Hokage's apprentice needs to talk to you. She's waiting outside the main office." Kotetsu announced.

"Shizune? I thought she was still resting." Izumo mumbled.

Kotetsu gripped the doorknob leading up to storage and hurriedly opened it. Just as he was closing the door behind him he heard Izumo curse loudly from down the hall. It seemed he'd just realized that, no, it was definitely not Shizune.

* * *

Guruko dragged himself into the makeshift hospital room of the tower. The dog was exhausted and it showed. His feet barely lifted off the ground and his scarecrow marked shirt was torn in several places. Dirt and grime lay ingrained in his fur which felt much heavier than normal.

Guruko trudged to the side of the bed in the center of the room. With a great deal of effort he jumped so that his front paws landed on the side of the bed in order to see Naruto. The dog whined at the still form and gently nudged the boy's right cheek with his big, cold nose. Dirt streaked across skin, but nothing twitched and no one murmured in reply. Guruko tried again. Still nothing.

A hand suddenly found itself on his head and his fur was ruffled. He knew immediately that it wasn't Naruto's though. Naruto's hand was much smaller and he stroked his fingers through instead of on top like most. Guruko let his eyes wander to the person and was not surprised to find Iruka staring at him.

"Please don't wake him." Iruka commanded softly. He said nothing else, simply turned back to staring at Naruto with his much larger hand holding firmly to the smaller. Guilt filled the dog as he remembered his last words to the young academy teacher.

"_Stop referring to it as a 'condition.' You're making me sound like I'm on my death bed. And it will only worsen if someone attacks my heart directly. It's not like some Hyuuga's gonna come up to me and strike me in the heart on my way to my apartment." Naruto said with a rueful grin._

"_Hmff." Iruka replied. The man turned around and reentered his kitchen area, placing the pan and milk on the counter, before calling out once more. "Just make sure your back in half an hour. I'm making French toast!" _

"_Thanks Iruka. I'll be back soon." Naruto answered with a small smile on his face. _

"Nothing will happen. I'll bite any Hyuuga's that comes close."_Guruko cackled out as he followed Naruto out the door._

Guruko laid his head on the bed beside Naruto's face so that the majority of Iruka's visage was hidden from view. He should have been there sooner. The mask fogged up with each exhale his human took. Feet shuffled and the sound of something hitting the chair behind him caused the dog to twist around and growl.

Three eyes widened in fear while the forth simply raised a nonexistent eyebrow at him. His hackles fell as he recognized the three children. Scolding himself for scaring them, and amusing a stupid frog, Guruko padded over with his head bent in apologetic submission. Konohamaru petted his head in acceptance and smiled weakly at the dog.

"Konohamaru, Udon, Moegi," Iruka's voice sounded from across the room, "I think it's time for you three to be heading home it's getting late. Your parents will be worried."

"I'm not leaving Ni-san!" Konohamaru pronounced angrily.

"We want to stay." Moegi agreed.

"We'll stay quiet and everything." Udon insisted.

"You can come back first thing in the morning, but for tonight go home and go to sleep. Not only that… I've meet all of your parents. They're not going to be happy with you for staying out this late and are probably all panicking. Especially your mother Moegi." Iruka lectured them lightly. The young girl ducked her head with a bright blush on her face. Konohamaru looked ready to protest, but Udon grabbed his wrist and pulled him behind the two retreating children.

"We'll be back tomorrow morning!" Moegi called behind her. Guruko and the toad snorted at the same time before giving each other distasteful looks.

* * *

"He doesn't own any mirrors you know." Syne said thoughtfully. "Doesn't like to look at himself. Thinks he's some wretchedly ugly thing that his mother didn't want."

"And how do you know that?" Ibiki asked softly, eyes narrowed. There were going around in circles. Gleaming information from her was impossible. Adding more pain was turning out to be pointless. He'd have to come up with another tactic. Combine physical torture with prodding. He already called Yonoichi here, but the man had been in a nearby town and wouldn't be there for at least half an hour. He'd just have to make due until he could physically rip her mind open...

"He flinched every time he'd go by a mirror while in my home. When I started taunting him about his looks he crumbled much faster than normal. I was… curious, so I pretended to apologize and asked him to tell me what was wrong. He was only ten, still unfamiliar with how I worked, so he explained. He told me he even tried to cut the possession marks off once while in one of the foster homes. He'd do _anything _to look like someone else." Syne said with a chuckle.

Ibiki quietly noted the age Syne mentioned. Ten. _Still unfamiliar with how I worked. _Naruto was ten when he first came into contact with Syne.

"I promised him once to permanently change his looks for him with a seal if he did something for me. I dragged him to a party in the red district and had him use the transformation jutsu to become a female version of himself. There was a fat, slobby man there who I told him to blow." Syne snickered happily, clearly enjoying her story, like it was all a big joke. "He was sickened. Begged me to let him do something else to get the seal… I refused. He did it too, the little idiot. Vomitted for hours in the bathroom afterwards. Dry heaved for an hour or so after that. When we got back and he demanded the seal I brushed him off. Told him he should have gotten the agreement in blood."

Ibiki remained blank faced as he listened to her words and giggles. His own stomach heaved a little bit. How could Syne have gotten passed his psychological tests for so long? He had each and every Anbu tested every six months. Syne had been in Anbu for seven years. _The seal on Naruto is a blood contract seal then… _

"There's only so long that you can jerk someone around before they lash out at you." Ibiki commented.

"Oh he did. He learned quickly how to lie and decieve me and throw back insults for every one I gave. He even learned how to go against the seal in various ways. Not break it of course, but he's exploited every loop hole it has." Syne said giddily. The woman clearly enjoyed the thought of a challenge and Ibiki had to wonder if perhaps Naruto made it worse by fighting.

"And how did he go against the seal?" Ibiki questioned.

A manic expression crossed Synes face as her lips tugged up in a smile.

"One of his tactics was avoiding me… Pain radiates in levels that I determine when Naruto doesn't listen to me or avoids me, but he knew I didn't want to be caught so I never performed it while he was in public. And while I know all of his weaknesses he also knows mine. He would bargain with me… give me money or even jewels that he stole. He had a lightning seal jutsu once, I don't know where he got it from, that he shoved onto my body and electrocuted me with once when I tried fucking him. Oh… I made him pay for that one." Syne giggled, eyes distant, not all there. It seemed she didn't even feel the wires digging into her skin anymore. Ibiki's nose lifted in disgust. "Naruto eventually even knew what to say in order to make me focus on things other than himself…" Syne continued on, but there was irritation now. "He would keep tabs on my husband that I would rather not know about. Twist the game around so that he was manipulating me instead. Little bastard."

Ibiki inwardly smiled. _That _was impressive. He'd have to remember to test Naruto for torture and interrogation skills after all this shit was over with. As soon as he squeezed the information out of her, and Naruto was recovered, he'd take the kid out to a café for a nice cup of coffee.

"So an anbu captain has been duped by a child? I expected more from someone of your status. He shouldn't have been able to even speak without you knowing about it if he was truly your prisoner for all these years. Clearly the expectations for anbu operatives is set too low." Ibiki spoke coldly.

Syne snarled angrily, her body straining against the wires, blood slipping down unnoticed as her eyes blazed.

"So children can be chuunin at six and anbu captains at thirteen, but adults are still always more clever hm? Children always surpass their masters and that is why they must not be underestimated. He may have been unwilling, but every trick he used against me is what I myself taught him. I earned everything associated with the title anbu captain and no matter my sentence here I will keep those things to my last breath." The woman hissed.

So her position was a soft spot she prided herself in. A point he could exploit. Good. Ibiki popped his neck and rolled his shoulders to demonstrate his care of her temper tantrum.

"You use the word master as if it is all encompassing," Ibiki spoke slowly, but deliberately, "but there are two different meanings. A teacher and an owner are two opposing matters altogether. You are most definitely not a teacher and you own nothing, especially not Naruto Uzuamki. Therefore you are not a master of anything."

She smiled knowingly at him, as if she knew some joke that he did not, but he would know by the end of the night.

"I'm not a bad person you know. I've done nice things for him for years in exchange for my fun. When he was eleven he came to me with bloody and blistered feet because the soles of his shoes had worn out till they were little more than holes. Well I healed his feet for him, I even bought him knew shoes, in exchange for a few nights of whatever I wanted. You see it was just business… he was my personal whore and I gave him shelter and things he needed." Syne explained.

"Is that what you tell yourself at night?" Ibiki asked.

* * *

She ran. Heedless of corners down narrow staircases. She ran as fast as her lithe, trained body would allow clipping sharp turns here and there. Cherry blossom strands flew by open corridors till they settled down against a pale face whose frame stood heaving outside one particular door at the end of one secluded hallway. The breaths that came were harsh and uneven, but not from her mad dash.

_'It's called hyperventilating.' _Her mind sneered at her. _'It's what happens when you realize you're an idiot.' _

Sakura took calm, even, breaths as she stood frozen outside his door in sheer terror. As fast as she'd moved to get here, her body seemed set on staying just where it was at, just outside her vision of the inside.

_'Move! Do something!' _Her mind begged.

She stepped through.

Her body propelled her forward causing her to stumble into the room. When she looked up she choked. She could see his _ribs_! She covered her mouth as her teammate's battered body continued to lift with life giving air before hitching on the release. His cheeks were red with fever and sweat covered his body making his straw colored hair stick to his face.

Sakura's legs felt weak under her. She crouched, one hand on the chair beside her and one on the ground, for support. How could she be so _stupid_?

"_Look, Guruko, there's some medicine that I've got to pick up for 'someone' on the other side of town after I finish with my… meeting tonight." Naruto told the dog._

"_Meeting?" Sakura asked. _

"_Yeah… There's a meeting at my apartment complex with all the renters. Our landlord wants to discuss… adding some improvements to the building, but it would require raising the rent. I can't really afford that so I need to be there to vote against it. Technically we aren't allowed to have animals there and I don't want to take the risk of him accidentally being discovered if they choose to hold the meeting at my place. We decided to pick one of the rooms instead of my landlords tiny office but hadn't gotten far enough to pick one specifically." Naruto explained with a sheepish smile on his face._

_Sakura nodded in understanding. _

"_I'm proud of you Naruto, you actually thought of something ahead of time." Sakura said with a smile. _

"So will this medicine help this 'friend' of yours?"_ Guruko asked. _

"_For a while at least." The blonde answered. _

"_So is this friend of yours really sick?" Sakura asked worriedly. _

_Guruko grinned. _

"Oh yes, I've met Naruto's 'friend' once. He's very sick. Fever. Vomiting. In a great deal of pain. The brats too stubborn to accept any type of help though."_Guruko said. _

_Sakura's face fell. _

"_How sad, you're a good person for helping him Naruto, I hope he feels better." Sakura said as she waved goodbye and entered the living room once more. _

_Naruto weakly waved back._

How could she not have picked up on that? Guruko was practically taunting her with her stupidity. Sakura hiccupped as she tried to stop the sob from escaping. He'd been sick then… sick much further than that according to the chuunin Izumo. All the time she'd ever spent with him he'd been sick; the academy, their arguments, the bell test, D-ranked missions, wave country, the chuunin exams, waterfall, snow country. Sick. Sick. Sick. Sick. Sick. Sick. Sick. Sick.

From across the room she could feel her old academy teacher's eyes on her. She knew it wasn't true, but they felt as if they were accusing her. Demanding to know how she could have spent more than a year of close contact with her teammate without knowing; setting up tents, traveling days along the roads to different countries, cooking together, eating together, breathing together, fighting together. Yet she didn't know. She didn't notice.

'_Naruto Uzumaki has been severely sick for a long time. His chakra has been leaking out of the coils and burning his insides. Lady Tsunade has estimated that it started a few years ago, around the age of ten. It recen…" _Sakura shuddered. The man had gone into details. He told her how it affected his chakra control, his body, his heart… He told her Naruto had collapsed recently in front of a pair of jounin. How an anbu captain had attacked him for unknown reasons and it had caused his condition to intensify to the point his body was collapsing.

But she should have known all that already. Naruto was _her _teammate. How could she not have known that he was sick? How could Naruto have hidden it? Fever, vomiting, pain, exhaustion, she'd not seen any of this.

Then again… She never touched him outside of hitting or sparring so she wouldn't know if he got fevers. She never followed him to the bathroom so how did she know he wasn't in there puking? She always watched Sasuke throughout the day so of course she wouldn't notice if _Naruto_ was in pain. What didn't make sense was that Naruto always seemed so full of energy. There really was no way that Naruto of all people _faked_ energy. Naruto wore his heart on his sleeve. He was as honest and naïve as they came.

'_He lied to you about being sick though didn't he? He lied to you about the medicine to his friend right? Just like you didn't know he was studying under Jeraiya of the Sannin until you were studying under Tsunade.' _Her mind whispered. _'He simply didn't trust you enough to tell you. And why should he? It's not like you ever showed you cared. You didn't want him getting the wrong idea.'_

When was the last time she'd even seen him? It had been after he'd been hit by the paint. The devastation and hurt she'd seen when their eyes met across the crowd of jeering people caused her to freeze. He'd been really sick then… Izumo said that Naruto's condition had been worsening the last few weeks. And she'd just… frozen.

He'd been sick and humiliated and instead of going to him she'd frozen. It shouldn't have mattered that they'd been arguing the last few weeks. It shouldn't have mattered what they'd said to each oth… wait. They'd been arguing the last few weeks. Naruto's condition had been deteriorating the last few weeks.

Sakura tried remembering the arguments they'd had… Naruto had been defensive the whole time. They were angry when Naruto had taken such a long time to get dog food during lunch and they went into the restaurant without him. Naruto avoided them. Naruto missed training and they'd been angry with him. They avoided each other. He backed down from Sasuke when their teammate challenged him to a fight. Naruto avoided them. She was angry with Naruto when he didn't show up to pick Guruko up like he said he would. They avoided each other adamantly. Oh god… What had they done?

A soft murmur interrupted her thoughts. Sakura's head shot up. Guruko, who'd been lying at the end of the bed, jerked awake at the noise. Iruka was standing already still holding tightly to his old student's hand. Naruto shifted, eyes scrunching up in discomfort, and head turning to the side.

Sakura stood up and rushed to the side of the bed. A painful, wet cough came from behind the mask and Sakura began to shake uncontrollably when drops of red liquid splashed against the clear plastic. Across from her Iruka turned ghostly white before leaning forward, taking the mask off, and supporting his old student as he coughed up blood onto the white sheets. Sakura shook her head in denial before taking several steps back in horror.

Naruto's eyes were cracked open, but he didn't seem to be registering anything. Dark rings accentuated pale sickly looking skin. He was gasping for air as blood dripped slowly down his chin to fall into the small puddle of blood being absorbed into fabric. What could she do? She only knew small medical tricks. She couldn't even diagnose a patient yet! Something pushed her to the side.

As she stumbled back her eyes landed on a red coat and long white hair. She vaguely recognized Lady Tsunade's right hand Shizune coming in as a chuunin escorted her out of the room. She never noticed the toad who disappeared when Naruto woke up.

* * *

He'd been running none stop to get back to the village cutting down his time by at least half a day. Exhausted Kakashi summoned one of his ninja hounds to keep watch as he rolled out a bag and laid down. As he was about to fall into blissful unconsciousness something bit his finger. Hissing in agitation his first reaction was to glare at his hound. Shiba just raised a brow at him. Eh… damn. He'd have to get up the effort to actually look at what was biting him.

Kakashi turned his head to see a Konoha hawk staring at him with large, black emotionless eyes. Kakashi groaned. If Tsunade was going to send him on another mission before he even got back from this one he'd send in retirement papers the moment he was allowed back in the village. Despite what Gai said 'Youth' did not last _that _long. Kakashi moaned pitilessly as he forced himself up to untie the scroll from the waiting bird.

If his little kiddies were here he would never have been caught dead doing such a thing. Being caught would mean he could never pick fun at Sasuke when the boy had his ungraceful moments or be exasperated at Naruto for his… everyday moments. He was pretty sure he could get away with it in front of Sakura because the girl was so unobservant… Why take the chance though?

Allowing his left hand to glow with electricity he began to read. Oh dear lord. He'd summoned the man simply by thinking of him! It was Gai's handwriting on the paper. Kakashi sighed in resignation, but was happy about not having to go on another mission. His tired eyes read the quickly written letter. Sitting bolt upright Kakashi read the letter one more time.

"_What is it?" _Shiba asked in concern.

Kakashi didn't answer. Instead the man rushed to pack his things before taking out a soldier pill. Popping it into his mouth Kakashi bit down and swallowed. As energy rushed through his body he turned to Shiba with a solemn yet determined air about him.

"One of my kids needs me." Kakashi answered.


	18. KFR: 2My kids

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

I wrote a total of twelve different scenes where Kakashi enters the story. Each several pages long... there was a scene with a bar, one with Gai himself, one where he sees Sasuke first, one where he runs into Syne's husband, I mean the things I tried! Yeesh... I just wasn't... I didn't like them. Rewrote them all... then trashed them all. So I really hope you like how I did it. Please tell me what you think. (And hopefully you won't kill me.)

Chapter 17: Kakashi Finally Returns!

Part 2: My team… my kids

_Syne gently led the ten year old through the door of her apartment. Hands were soft as she removed his clothes. It was all very comforting despite how scared he was. Her eyes were cold brown orbs that looked at him like an animal would their prey, but her touch was anything but vicious. He distantly remembered the Hokage giving him a stuffed frog before embracing him in a hug, but the memory was fuzzy and brief. The constant skin contact of Syne was soothing. It was a sensation he'd never felt before. _

_Two humans simply interacting. _

_He'd craved it for so long. Other children high fived each other and sat so close at the lunch table that they ended up leaning against one another when talking. Children grabbed each other's hands to lead them places or squeezed a shoulder for reassurance. At the orphanage children would crawl into each other's beds and talk animatedly under the covers for hours simply enjoying each other's company or on winter nights for warmth. They helped each other swim or tagged each other in games. He wanted someone to play with him, sit with him, help him. He wanted to know what it felt like to interact. _

_He often saw adults lifting their children into the air before hugging them. The jealousy inside him towards the others was like a seething monster clawing under his skin to be free. Hands were intertwined as children were guided home. Sleeping toddlers were held securely against warm, tall bodies that simply walked right by him. He wasn't their child and he would never be anyone's child. He would never feel that kind of warmth. He didn't exist to them. He was nothing to them. _

_Syne leaned forward, taking him by surprise, crashing messily against his lips. She noticed though. She knew he existed and looked forward to seeing _him_. It was uncomfortable, what she was doing, yet the skin contact made him lean forward as well. It was so soft and warm and reassuring all at the same time. _

_She shoved him hard into the bed causing him to yelp. He tried to get up a bit as panic rose only for her to push down harder and cut his air off with her lips. Something wet and warm like touched his teeth and he squirmed realizing it was a tongue. He tried to move out from under her, to say he didn't like that, but she gripped his hair and yanked him back into place. Tears came to his eyes at the harshness and pain. He didn't like it anymore. _

_After a while it was finally over and Naruto Uzumaki lay quietly against Syne's body with her arms wrapped tightly around his small frame. The woman's face snuggled against the back of his neck in her sleep causing him to smile a little even while tears fell silently down his cheeks. _

_He closed his eyes, imagining that the woman above him was his mother, and that he'd only just then crawled into her bed after a nightmare. If he just pretended that the other stuff didn't happen… Naruto hesitantly reached out and brought the sleeping woman's arm against his chest. Her warmth surrounded him and for the few moments before he fell asleep he was happy. _

* * *

He was stable again.

Sakura let out a shuddering breath as her rumbled clothes shifted with her as she moved her knees to her chest. She was outside the room that Naruto lay awake in. Iruka's soft voice drifted from inside telling the boy, and in consequence her, stories about his childhood. She'd peeked in twice by now and both times saw a barely conscious Naruto paying rapt attention to Iruka as the man held his hand and talked. It was so private that Sakura would not dare enter.

Every once and a while she would hear a hitch in her old academy teacher's voice before it would steady out. She felt like an intruder in this whole thing, yet to leave would feel even worse, like a betrayal. Midnight had long since passed and both Tsunade and Shinzune had retired to bed in utter exhaustion. The younger of the two giving her a disapproving glance before leaving.

Despite what many said about Tsunade's first apprentice Sakura always found Shizune to be cold when she talked to her. It was obvious from the start that the woman didn't like her for some reason. At no other time than today had it been more obvious though. When Shizune and Tsunade had come to help Naruto the Hokage had given her a sad, understanding nod toward her sobbing frame before entering. Shizune had glared at her.

Iruka's soft voice had stopped. Sakura gingerly stood and peered into the room. The man was fast asleep with his head on the bed, still holding Naruto's hand, as the boy stared up at the ceiling. Guruko was curled up on a chair beside the door with his eyes closed, but Sakura didn't know if he was asleep or not. She hesitated before entering the room. At the sound of footsteps Naruto tiredly turned toward her.

His eyes widened in surprise. He opened his mouth to speak, but only a raspy cough came out. His right hand, the one not held by Iruka's, immediately went to his throat.

"Naruto." Sakura's voice trembled.

She pulled a chair to the side of the bed and sat down. She knew she looked like a hot mess. Her hair was ruffled and her eyes red from sobbing. She probably needed a shower too, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to care.

"Sa…ura." Naruto's voice rasped. "Wha… are you… doing.. huff… here?" His voice was so tired and the question so honest.

There was no anger in it, just confusion, and it filled her with so much hurt.

Did he honestly think…? Yes. He did.

She could see it in his eyes. He didn't understand why she was there.

Tears leaked out as she leaned forward and cupped his face. Her lips quivered as she tried to speak, opening her mouth, but nothing came out. She tried again.

"I… I'm your… friend silly." Her voice was quiet, as if she feared being too loud would break what was left of her teammate.

Naruto stared at her for a long moment, eyes hallow and dark, before shaking his head in the negative. Sakura choked, clasping Naruto's hand in her's in an attempt to will his belief in their friendship into his body through hers. He still stared blankly in incomprehension. His eyes still questioned her presence.

"I'm your friend." Sakura said louder, trying to will confidence into her words. "I'm your teammate. Remember everything we've done together? You, me, Sasuke and Kakashi sensei… The four of us on so many missions. It was rough sometimes, and there's no way you could call it easy, but when you get down to it… it was fun. We became friends. Your… you've become one of my best friends. You and Ino and… Sasuke."

Naruto just shook his head again. Dull blue eyes met with brilliant green for a long moment before they moved up to stare at the ceiling, the faintest hint of a smile on cracked lips.

"Friends… cough… they like each… other. You've… never liked… cough… me. We are teammates… but not… friends." Naruto struggled to say.

Sakura grabbed the breathing mask and slipped it over his face, hovering over him as he breathed in deep, even breaths. She pressed her lips together in denial and shook her head again.

"It's not true. I may not like you in a romantic way, but you are my friend." Sakura insisted as Naruto stared up at her indifferently.

She wanted to sob, but knew she'd done enough of that.

She needed Naruto to know she meant it.

She needed him to know she cared.

"You…" Naruto's hoarse voice reached her through the mask. Sakura looked from the limp hand in hers. "truly… care a lot… about Sasuke huh?" Naruto chuckled, but it turned into a deep cough. When he looked into her eyes she saw understanding and hurt.

"What does Sasuke have to do with being my friend?" Sakura asked in confusion.

"You know… cough… I always wanted to be friends with you… Sakura. But you…" Naruto took off the mask so that he could be heard better. His breathing become shallower. "…never gave me so much… as a second glance though… I was always… the teammate that you… admitted existed when I… annoyed you… too much…" Naruto hacked harshly into his pillow, his entire frame seizing up, but when Sakura moved to put the mask back on he shook his head. "…or when I was useful. Maybe if… Sasuke hadn't been on our team… we could have been friends but… I don't regret it… being on a team… with both of you, you and Sasuke… but you've always been… chasing after him; wanting to know him, wanting to spend time with him, wanting him… to acknowledge you as someone important… to him."

"That's not true." Sakura told him, but she knew it was.

She remembered the words she said to Sasuke the day they became a team. They rang clear through her skull, mocking her with her own voice.

_"__If he had his way I'd never find love or happiness. He ruins everything! He enjoys tormenting me. Naruto doesn't understand me at all. I can't stand to have him anywhere near me." _

"It's okay…" Naruto wheezed out. "I under… stand. Just… you and Sasuke… take care… of each other."

"Don't talk like that. Don't say such things. You're gonna be fine. Lady Tsunade will fix this." Sakura begged. "And then we… you and me can become friends, not just teammates okay? We can talk and eat lunch together and… and… please don't die."

Naruto took his hand out of Sakura's and slowly moved the mask back over his mouth. She could tell he was fading from consciousness. His eyelids were closing and the heart monitor was slowing down.

"Please don't die. Promise me you won't die." Sakura pleaded with him.

But he was already asleep.

* * *

Shibi had dismissed himself hours ago. Kakashi pushed himself to the limit.. Flipping over tree branches and skidding down mountain cliffs using chakra in order to get to Konoha's gates faster. How could something like this happen? Long term illnesses don't develop overnight and he certainly didn't notice anything on their missions or during training.

Giant boulder. Step. Step. Leap.

Kakashi tried to think back on every mission he'd had with the boy. Images of the boy sparring with Sasuke, arguing with Sakura about Sasuke, abnormally long hours of sleep (possibly?) but he would skip sleeping some nights all together so it made sense, them in the hotel, Naruto trying to get his book from him so that he would listen to what the genin had to say, Naruto exasperated with him for being late. Hundreds of images yet nothing that he could think of that would suggest…

Deep drop. Twist. Feet against rock wall.

Nothing to suggest he'd been sick! If you can't find something try looking at it a different way. What did he know about Naruto? The boy craved attention more than anything else. He preferred to sleep during the day than at night. Naruto talked loudly whenever he spoke. He was clumsy…

_Thump. _

_Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura turned at the sound and as one gave a sigh of exasperation. Naruto had managed to trip on a stone in the road… for the third time that morning. The blonde was rubbing his face where he'd hit the ground and glaring at it as if it had personally decided it wanted to hurt him. _

"_Dobe… we don't want you to suffer even MORE brain damage so watch where you're going." Sasuke told the boy irritably. _

"_You need to be more careful! Ninja are supposed to be observant and agile so at least pretend you have one of those skills." Sakura scolded. _

_Kakashi said nothing. While unnecessarily harsh his two students did have a point. Being a clumsy ninja was asking to die an early death. His eyes watched Naruto as he slowly pushed himself up from the ground. He slowly dusted himself off before looking up at them. _

"_Ah… Sakura-chaaaan I was being careful! It's not my fault the road has so many stupid rocks!" Naruto pouted. _

_And they continued on their way. Two hours later another thump sounded. Sigh. _

A precarious bridge. Note: get builders out in section B54 for repair work.

_Crash! _

_Kakashi rushed into the living room of the client's house they were supposed to be cleaning to find Naruto on his knees in the middle of four broken plates and cardboard box several feet away. His hands were shaking badly. _

"_Sorry! I'm sorry I didn't mean too. The plates were on top of the box, but I didn't see them when I pulled the box down. Jeez that scared the crap out of me." He said shakily, gesturing to his shaking hands. _

"_It's okay Naruto, but the money is coming out of your paycheck and I want you to explain what happened to our client. Try to be more careful." Kakashi told. _

_He left the room. His student wasn't a child, he could handle picking up broken plates by himself. _

He was in a forest now. Tree base. Trunk. Branches.

_Kakashi had them practicing a chakra control exercise. Lifting a kunai above your palm with chakra. It was meant to exude a great deal of chakra at a time through one's hands thus increasing the amount they'd be able to put into higher level jutsu's. Sakura wouldn't see results for a long time and the exercise was slightly pointless for Naruto. For Naruto this exercise was more about learning the control necessary to NOT blow the kunai up in the air like he'd been doing for the past ten minutes. _

_Honestly he'd been trying to tell Naruto how to do it correctly, but the kid just wasn't comprehending his explanations. Naruto simply didn't learn the way he taught. It was frustrating because he knew that Naruto could get this, he simply wasn't getting it the way Kakashi was teaching it. _

_The boy had learned Kage bunshin from a scroll so he'd tried giving Naruto scrolls, but that didn't work. The boy learned Sasuke's lions barrage from seeing it ONCE, but showing Naruto once didn't work. The boy learned stealth by hiding from ninja, but simply throwing blunted weapons at him in training didn't improve his agility at all. He didn't understand Naruto's learning style at all. _

_Kakashi looked back up from his book to see that Naruto was gone. When the sound of puking reached his ears Kakashi body flickered and reappeared above Naruto. The boy's hand was outstretched, using the tree as support, as he vomited across the ground. _

"_Naruto, what's wrong?" Kakashi asked, stoic as ever, but inwardly concerned. _

_Naruto spit out the remainder of his lunch before giving Kakashi a sheepish smile. _

"_I kinda… sorta… rammed the ring side of the kunai into my stomach while practicing. Heheheh." Naruto explained while rubbing his stomach. _

_Kakashi sighed before shaking his head and looking skyward. _

'_If I wasn't already grey haired you'd certainly have set a record kid.' _

Duck. Leap. Land.

_When Kakashi arrived at the bridge it was to find, to his vast amusement, Sakura atop the rail trying to engage an irritated Sasuke in conversation while he stared down at the river below and a fast asleep Naruto with chin to his chest and his back to the pole. It was to be expected on a Monday. Naruto did God knew what on the weekend's and always slept while waiting for the lazy Jounin to arrive. _

_The rest of the week Naruto would be wide awake, but Mondays were, as the boy put it, "Death warmed up just for me." _

_Always the optimist of the group, team 7 was caught off guard by the solemn phrase one early Monday morning when they'd first become a team. So caught off guard were they that Sakura cracked up laughing, Sasuke nearly tripped and Kakashi stopped walking to stare at the miserable blonde. Needless to say they never once questioned why Naruto immediately fell asleep every Monday, they just went with it, everyone deserved at least some time to be in a dark mood after all._

Kakashi stopped on a tree branch with wide eyes staring in shock. It wasn't possible… One moment after another came to mind of Naruto's clumsiness, but they were all distorted now… or undistorted? Kakashi leaped forward again. His mind jumbled with memories and the letter replaying over and over again in his head.

Holy shit… so many moments. So many times. Which meant for every moment he managed to see something there was more that he'd hadn't been privy to. Wind whipped by him blowing the cold winter with it. December was turning out to be brutal this year. Kakashi hoped that the weather would be the coldest thing he'd experience the nearby future.

* * *

It was the morning of the third day and Naruto was finally sitting up. Konohamaru crawled closer to his big brother figure so that he was practically on his lap. Moegi sat on his other side while Udon sat at the end of the bed. For a moment they could almost pretend they weren't sitting in a medical room and that at any moment Naruto would get up and join them outside in the sun.

"So she was in Konoha when Iwa attacked the Land of Eddies?" Konohamaru demanded.

Naruto smiled tiredly at him. His voice was still very weak, but he was no longer pausing to catch his breath and he didn't need the mask. He was recovering from the first attack even while his body was still dying on him.

"Yes. My mom came here under a treaty created by the first Hokage and the Uzumaki clan. During the third Great war the Uzumaki clan used barrier jutsu's in an attempt to stop invaders from using the Land of Eddies as an entry way into the fire nation." Naruto's voice said softly.

Iruka had gone home to get a change of clothes, but both Sakura and Guruko sat quietly in the chairs surrounding the bed. Guruko was silent because he knew Naruto enjoyed talking to the children and had been promising them that he would tell them about his mother for a while now.

Sakura was simply too stunned to say anything. She'd been on a team with him for a full year, but hadn't asked about his past nor his home life.

"So, so the Uzumaki clan protected us?" Konohamaru asked in excitement.

"For a while at least. They're barriers held up against the enemy for months, but eventually the earth jutsu's penetrated them and broke it. The Uzumaki clan and other Eddies clans fought for eight straight months before they were beaten. The spiral symbol on the backs of all Konoha jackets represents the thanks for my clans sacrifices." Naruto told them.

"So there aren't any more Uzumaki's around?" Moegi asked sadly. Konohamaru and Udon too looked unhappy about the news. "You don't have any family at all." The little girl pressed.

"No. What was left of the Uzumaki clan was spread to the winds as Refugees. That's why people call anyone who goes by the name Uzumaki a Gaijin Refugee; outsider from a war torn country." Naruto explained softly.

"That's why you said you're mom's a refugee?" Konohamaru asked. "But what about you?"

"I was born in Konoha and never got to see the Land of Eddies. This is my home." Naruto told him with a grin.

"So if the Uzumaki clan was a shinobi clan, does that mean they had a bloodline or animal contract?" Udon asked thoughtfully.

"They were seal masters who were capable of living for two hundred years." Naruto told them with a twinkle in his eye.

"Wow! No way! That's older than grandpa was." Konohamaru exclaimed.

"Way older." Naruto agreed. "But I bet the old man creaked and groaned better than any old Uzumaki ever could."

Konohamaru smirked and nodded his head in agreement. Naruto tried to sit up more, but pain wracked his body, bending forward and clutching his sides he let out a strangled gasp.

"Naruto nii!" Moegi shrieks.

Immediately Sakura and Guruko are up and beside the bed, but Naruto opened his eyes and shook his head weakly. Konohamaru was grasping the blonde's forearm tightly as if simply holding his older brother figure would stop the pain. Naruto swallowed dryly, attempting to smile through cracked lips.

"I'm okay." Naruto rasped.

Konohamaru tightened his grip.

* * *

Syne Fuji made sense. That part of the equation made sense to the copycat shinobi. Kakashi knew, as much as he didn't like to think about it, that his student was disliked and even hated by the majority of the village. The other percent simply didn't care either way. The tiny spectrum that did was newly formed and, for the most part, uninformed about the boy.

The idea that someone, a Jounin from the village, wanted to hurt Naruto was nothing knew. Unpleasant and maddening, but not unlikely or unexpected. None the less if he was within ten feet of the woman she would not be able to understand that she was dying by the time he got through with her.

He felt his left eye tingle in anticipation. Apparently Obito was all for this plan.

They would see it together.

Minato would be so proud.

He didn't think that would save him from his sensei's wrath when he finally saw him again though.

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha reveled in the repetitive motion of his stances; knee lowered, hand raised, foot exactly one foot and seven inches apart from the other. Move into the next stance; knee straightened, hand lowered and turned, foot brought in slowly and a small turn of the body in preparation for the block stance. Breathe in. Breathe out. Next stance. No thinking is required, simply muscle memory, everything else is nonexistent.

Sweat glistened on his brawl as the continuous workout caused his taxed body to overheat despite the cold that rustled his clothes.

Sasuke had been coming out here every single day since his talk with Tsunade. Far past midnight each night he snuck home for a shower and a few hours rest then left again. No Sakura to corner him, no girls to 'talk' to him on his way to the training field, none of the rookies to badger him… just him and nature. He'd run out of food earlier than any other day though and his stomach was begging him to have a nice warm meal instead of the nearby fruits.

Sighing in annoyance Sasuke began to head back to the village. It wasn't like he could avoid the world forever. Walking into town he took to the roofs to avoid the looks he was likely to get from his smell. Entering one of the finer apartment complexes in Konoha Sasuke ripped the note left on his door off before heading inside. Tossing it on the table without so much as a glance Sasuke walked into the shower. Whatever the Hokage or his teammates wanted could wait until he was decent enough for human company.

He heard the sounds of feet pattering outside the bathroom door and knew that Uhei had come back. The dog had taken to disappearing for several long days at a time the moment she was healed. The small dog in his pink haired teammates care had come up to him one day a few weeks after Kakashi left to inform him of where she disappeared. Apparently she wasn't very fond of him and preferred Pakkun and Sakura's company. Sasuke had gladly given his supplies to Sakura who'd simply taken it wearily after muttering under her breath about '…going to steal my shampoo too?" He neither wanted to know nor ever intended to ask her what that meant.

Getting out of the shower Sasuke found Uhei whining piteously up at him from the floor. She gently pulled on Sasuke's towel in the direction of the door. So Sakura wanted him? Was that it? Sasuke tugged the white cloth from the dog's mouth.

"Whatever it is she wants it can wait till I get dressed and have had food." Sasuke answered grumpily.

The dog growled low in her throat at him.

Sasuke sighed. This is why her preferred cats.

* * *

There was one memory above all else that was causing Kakashi the most grief. He hadn't even thought… That was no excuse though. He should have. He wasn't superhuman though, things happened. Naruto obviously didn't want anyone knowing he was sick, but he was a jounin, some genin should not have been able to deceive him. On the other hand Naruto is the only child to have ever escaped Anbu when they pursued him. It had been so obvious though…

Dear kami. He was trying to justify not noticing his student was _severely sick _around him and he didn't notice for _over a year_. Kakashi swallowed hard. He had to own up to this. He couldn't avoid what he had done. No, he hadn't done anything, and that was the point.

Kakashi wasn't sure if he was more ashamed of the fact that he paid 'that' little attention to his smallest student or if he was ashamed of how little patients he had when it came to dealing with them.

Minato had _always _scolded him about how impatient he was to get things done or to move on to the next thing. It seemed all these years he still was like that. That's why Sasuke was such a great student, because Kakashi didn't have to be patient with him. Sasuke simply got it the first time around and kept on going.

Minato would have been able to have patients. He showed unbelievable patients with all of them. He never raised his voice like Kakashi did on occasion. He never favored one student over the other. He never taught one without teaching the others. He never pushed his students onto other teachers. He found a way, even if it was severely difficult, to spend equal time with each of this students.

What would his sensei say to him if he knew? The memory came back again.

"_Kaka sensei." Naruto called. _

_Kakashi felt a headache coming on. He almost always got headaches when he talked to Naruto. He scolded himself for thinking like that. Naruto was his student. Even if Naruto annoyed him a little he still cared about him and you don't treat people you care about like that. _

"_Kaka sensei!" Naruto's unpleasant voice called again. _

_Kakashi cringed. _

"_Yes Naruto?" Kakashi asked as patiently as he could. _

"_Is it okay if I ask you about something?" Naruto asked. _

"_Well your already asking me something so, yes, go ahead." Kakashi drawled. _

'_No, nicer, be nicer.' Kakashi scolded himself. _

_Naruto didn't seem to have paid any attention to his tone though. _

"_I've got this neighbor that's really ill. She's always getting sick, vomiting all the time, and the acid really hurts her throat. It sounds like it's more gratey as time goes on. Do you know how to stop it? Or make it better?" Naruto asked. _

"_Why doesn't your neighbor go to the hospital then if she's so sick?" Kakashi asked in a bored tone. _

"_It's… an illness that can't be cured. She's been sick for a long time." Naruto said quietly. _

"_Look Naruto… I'm not a medic. If your neighbor has a problem with her throat then she should ask the trained hospital staff to tell her how to fix he throat." Kakashi told him. Kakashi knew that Naruto would come up with anything to talk to someone, but this was really ridiculous. Sasuke and Sakura were coming towards them, but Naruto didn't seem to notice. _

"_Alright but… She was telling me something this one time about how others react to her. Her voice really annoys her friends a lot… what if the medical staff can't help? How would she fix it or change it?" Naruto asked._

"_Don't' you think you should be worrying about your own voice first Dobe? It's not exactly pleasant is it?" Sasuke said, smirking at Naruto when he turned around with his lips curled in anger. _

"_What was that Teme?" Naruto snarled. _

"_Oh boy… listen." Kakashi muttered. _

"_I said your tone deaf… your voice is like glass being grinded together." Sasuke mocked. _

_Naruto snarled and lunged at the taller boy, but before they could come to blows Kakashi body flickered between them. _

"_I think that's enough! We're done for the day. Meet back here again tomorrow at eight o clock sharp!" Kakashi told his team. _

_Sasuke 'hn'd his agreement before leaving with Sakura trailing behind the boy. Naruto turned to him. _

"_Kaka sensei?" _

"_What is it Naruto?" Kakashi tried really hard not to let his annoyance show through, but he failed spectacularly. _

"_Never mind."_

Naruto _had _outright told him he was sick all the time. Naruto had been asking him for help in an indirect way and Kakashi had essentially told him to shut up. Look underneath the underneath. If it hadn't been obvious _before _Sasuke opened up his mouth it should most definitely been _after_.

What other things had happened that he'd overlooked?

* * *

A set of chuunin were staring at him from across the street as he waited for the old woman to finish wrapping the meat he'd bought. As discreetly as he could Sasuke glanced at them from the corner of his eyes. He wasn't imagining it. They were whispering to each other.

"Here you go young man." The old woman's voice called.

Sasuke turned and thanked her before slipping it under his arm with the bag of vegetables he'd bought earlier. Moving further down the market place to pick up rice Sasuke scanned the crowd carefully. No one else was behaving oddly. Maybe he'd just happened to pass them by as he was talking about the finalist from the chuunin exam or about the rookie twelve in general. People, civilians and ninja alike, had come to hold a degree of respects for the young genin after their involvement in the defense against the invasion. Sasuke shrugged it off.

Sasuke became weary though when the man selling him rice looked at him strangely. Shoulders tense and mind alert he slipped a kunai from his hustler into the bags he was carrying for easier access.

Fingers touched his shouldered. Sasuke spun, withdrawing a kunai, and disabling the arm.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, owwwww." A girl's voice whined loudly.

Sasuke stared, startled at the blonde girl before him, then released her. Ino stumbled forward rubbing her shoulder to ease the ache before bending down to pick up the duffle bag he forced her to drop. Sasuke got there first. She blushed as he handed it to her. That was about as good of an apology as the girl was going to get. Even Naruto knew better than to touch him when he was tense like that.

"Sasuke-kun, Sakura's been looking for you, and the Hokage as well." Ino explained.

"Why?" Sasuke questioned.

Ino swung the bag over her shoulder and fidgeted with the strap. She was avoiding looking at him.

"Why Ino?" Sasuke demanded.

She looked at him fearfully before quickly glancing away again.

"Naruto… he's… I don't think I'm really the right person to tell you." Ino mumbled out.

Sasuke froze. Naruto? Was he hurt? Did he leave the village? Was he dead? How could that happen… they'd only talked a little over a week ago. It couldn't be. An image of Naruto's beaten and angry form on his knees in the dirt came to mind. The fight was the last time he'd seen him. They'd screamed at each other, well he screamed at Naruto first, and they'd fought.

Sasuke moved closer to Ino and gripped the girl by her forearm.

"What happened to Naruto?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't think… I really think Sakura should be the one to tell you. I'm taking her fresh clothes right now." Ino said, gesturing to the bag.

"You've already told me that something happened to Naruto. You can't simply drop it. Now tell me." Sasuke snapped angrily.

Ino flinched. Her pale blue eyes still avoiding his tense brown.

"Something happened, no one will tell me what, but they called my Dad in. Naruto's really sick and apparently it was caused by someone that's being interrogated." Ino told him quietly.

"Where's Naruto now?" Sasuke asked.

"I'm going there now. Just… just follow me."

Ino began to walk to their destination, but at the heated glare Sasuke shot her she moved to the roof and picked up her pace. Sasuke's food lay abandoned on the floor of the market place.

* * *

Had Sakura or Sasuke noticed? Clearly not. Sakura was the least observant person he'd ever met. Unless something was thrown into her face she didn't pay attention to it. Kakashi sighed. That had been a problem he'd faced when teaching her how to dispel genjutsu… you had to notice you were in one in order to get out of it. He'd hoped that she would have applied the skill outside of the area of genjutsu, but he'd been proven time and again that it went over her head. He'd already resigned himself to pointing out how she could be more open minded in the battlefield and general life uses.

Sasuke was a very observant person… when it came to noticing things concerning himself. He'd noticed that the boy seemed to be _trying _to avoid taking or thinking about other people's opinions and thoughts. Why? He had no idea. He could pretend otherwise, but really he honestly didn't know the logic the boy was using to justify such actions. Perhaps it had something to do with his lack of respect towards others or his attitude. Maybe he thought that if he allowed others to know that he _noticed _them it would be admitting he was equal to them? Eh… it made his head hurt.

So Sasuke and Sakura didn't, or hadn't known anything. No, definitely not. They both may have a bit of a selfish problem going on, but they weren't heartless. Kakashi cringed at his own thoughts. So was he selfish or heartless?

* * *

Anko smirked at the wretched creature collapsed on the floor. She'd gotten part of the information out of her. It had taken him three long days of switching between her, Ibiki and Inoichi, but they'd ripped it from the bitch. She wrote down a report and summoned one of her personal snakes to take it to Tsunade.

Naruto had to give her something through an exchange. Their fingers had to touch and they both had to state a phrase together as the object left his hand and entered hers. The moment the release ritual finished the seal on Naruto's chest would come undone and release him from the death hold.

Anko's foot pushed up against the bloody woman's face. Syne had held onto the information concerning what he was supposed to give her like a starving person holds onto a scrap of bread. She also refused to give them the phrase that needed to be said.

Her foot still leaning against Syne's face Anko pulled out smelling salt from one of her coat pockets. Smiling the purple haired woman shoved it up the other female's nose. It took a moment, but the brunet stirred and when she did… Anko let out roarish laughter as a shriek left the tired, shaken woman before her. Struggling against her chains Syne thrashed around to get the thing out. When it finally came loose Anko allowed her to have a few moments of peace… Then took it away ruthlessly.

Snakes seeped from her sleeves to wrap around the barely conscious victim. Head tilting to one side as she began to fall unconscious Anko walked up and slapped her. The resounding echo filled the room and had its desired effect. Syne glared hatefully at her through swollen, black, and purple eyes.

"You'll… never…" Syne croaked. "Free him."

"The Yamanaka is about to take over my shift." Anko whispered playfully as she rubbed Syne's cheek. "But I think I'll stay. I want to hear those delicious fear filled screams that took so long to drag out of you."

* * *

Kakashi rushed through the gates of Konoha. The two guards didn't even try to stop him, apparently having been warned that Kakashi wouldn't be checking in with them. He headed straight for the Hokage tower. Tsunade would either be with Naruto or know where he was so that was his best bet of getting to Naruto the fastest. If he could just see the seal and how it worked he'd have a much better idea of how he could help. Gai's description of it… was less than stellar.

Kakashi gracefully dodged genin, chuunin, and jounin that were unlucky enough to be in his way. Breathing hard as he came to a stop in front of the wide, double doors of the Hokage's office he felt his heart being squeezed. His _family _had been threatened by an outsider and that wasn't acceptable. Kakashi stood straight and opened up the doors.

A sob was stifled as he walked in. Kakashi felt himself go numb as his eyes took in the image before him. Tears fell uncontrollably as Lady Tsunade covered her mouth to stifle the pain wracked breaths breaking free. Papers lay scattered around her and on the floor. Shizune held onto their pet pig in a grip that seemed suffocating as she stared at the ground blankly.

"No." Kakashi whispered brokenly.

* * *

Sasuke felt a sickening sensation with every level down they traveled.

"Chouji and Shikamaru don't know yet." Ino told him quietly. "They went to some town on the edge of the fire nation with Shikamaru's mother. They were going furniture shopping, of all things, and Mrs. Nara told them that she wasn't going to do it for them so they had to go along. It's Saturday though, and they said that no matter what they would be back by Saturday so they'll be here at any time."

Sasuke wasn't really paying attention though… he didn't care if they were here or not. He just wanted to know that Naruto was going to be okay. What if… what if their fight had somehow caused this? What if he'd hurt Naruto to the point that he couldn't defend himself against whoever made him sick? Ino kept talking.

"Kurenia's team won't be back until tomorrow. They've been on some long recon mission for a client that wanted them to spy on her husband. Neji's been down to visit though. I was really surprised by that. I didn't know they were close."

They finally came to a hall where the door at the end was left wide open. Sasuke sped up without so much as a glance towards Ino. Reaching the door he entered. The IV was unhooked. The air mask sat being unused on a bed that looked made. The chairs were empty.

Naruto wasn't inside. No one was.

* * *

A/N: Cough* Um… Hides. If you kill the author no more chapters will come out. It is a proven fact.


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